By Obakeng Maje

North West Premier, Thandi Modise together with Provincial Health MEC, Dr. Magome Masike will on Tuesday, 06 November 2012 handover site to the winning bidder for construction of new Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital.

“A total of R478 million has been set aside for the construction of new psychiatric hospital in Mahikeng and the project is expected to be completed in the next 24 months” Tebogo Lekgethwane said.

“Initially the Department planned to construct a 648 beds hospital, but following extensive consultation with mental health experts and recommendations by World Health Organization (WHO) MEC Masike decided to downsize psychiatric hospital in favour of community based psychiatric health care facilities” He added.

This will increase access to mental health care services and also boost chances of psychiatric patients to respond to treatment as they will be treated and cared next to home. In no distant future the Department will construct community based psychiatric health care facilities in the four districts of the Province namely, Ngaka Modiri Molema, Bojanala, Dr. Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda. The facilities together with the new hospital will make available 648 psychiatric beds of which 384 will be at the new hospital and the remaining beds will be spread across the districts.

Each community based facility will make a provision for residential needs, day care center, a workshop for occupational activities and industrial therapy. It is envisaged that each of these facilities will function independently in terms of staff structures and will be located near health facilities to promote easy outreach of health professionals. 

Members of the media are invited to attend the handing over ceremony billed for 12h00 at the new Bophelong Psychiatric hospital construction site along the Nelson Mandela Drive to Lichtenburg from Mahikeng.