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Soshanguve receives its first private hospital

Botshilu Private Hospital. Picture Credit: The Grand Finale
Botshilu Private Hospital. Picture Credit: The Grand Finale

Soshanguve residents will no longer travel long distances to get private medical help, this is according to the founder of the newly launched Botshilu Private Hospital, Dr Jacky Rampedi.

The hospital, which will be privately owned, was launched on Wednesday 27 August 2014 and is yet to receive its first patient.

Dr Rampedi said: “This is a 100% fully-fledged hospital that does everything including surgeries and the government does not even put in a cent.”

Dr Rampedi, who is also a general practitioner, said that having conducted a series of surveys and research, they realised that people are forced to travel long distances in order to reach doctors.

“People had to travel long distances to go to hospitals and if they had to be admitted, their relatives have to spend a lot of money on transport costs in order to go see them.

“We then decided that if there is a local hospital, it will be easier for relatives to do visits,” explain Dr Rampedi.

The hospital will mainly cater for people with medical aids in Soshanguve and surrounding areas.

Asked if this idea will work in a previously disadvantaged area, Dr Rampedi said their surveys indicated that people in Soshanguve work for the government or in companies that provide medical aid as a benefit.

“This could be a previously disadvantaged area but there are a lot of people who are working for the government and other sectors. So these people are capable of paying,” said Rampedi.

The hospital has promised that they are willing to negotiate with each patient on payment methods for those who do not have medical aids.

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