By Sello Masilo
The recent upgrade of the Wits Roy McAlpine Burns Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) marks a significant step forward in enhancing the facility’s capacity to provide world-class treatment for burn victims. The expansion, which includes the addition of a new wing, is set to position the hospital as one of the leading centres in Africa for burn treatment.
Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, officially opened the new wing alongside Wits University’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, and representatives from the Roy McAlpine Foundation. The event marked a critical milestone in the hospital’s 33-year history of burn care.
Enhancing Critical Care and Specialist Training
The expanded burns unit now boasts 12 newly-equipped intensive care unit (ICU) beds and an additional operating theatre, designed to reduce delays in surgical procedures—a crucial factor in the treatment of severe burns. According to Professor Adelin Muganza, Head of the Burns Unit at CHBAH, the new facilities will significantly improve patient outcomes by allowing for more timely and effective treatment.
“The opening of this new wing is more than just an expansion of physical space; it represents a crucial step forward in our ability to provide lifesaving world-class care to the hundreds of patients who depend on the public health system,” said Nkomo-Ralehoko. She emphasized the importance of this development in restoring the dignity of patients who have suffered severe burns .
A Comprehensive Approach to Burn Care
Since its inception, the burns unit at CHBAH has treated over 30,000 patients and performed more than 40,000 burn-related surgeries. The recent expansion includes not only new ICU beds and surgical facilities but also enhanced outpatient services, rehabilitation spaces for occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and recreational activities—all essential components of holistic recovery for burn victims.
In addition, the unit has introduced a skin substitute laboratory, which is expected to advance both specialist training and patient care through cutting-edge research. This will further solidify CHBAH’s reputation as a centre of excellence in burn treatment across South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Impact on Patients
The impact of the unit’s expansion is already being felt by patients like 29-year-old Nontleko Sithole from George Goch, Johannesburg, who was admitted after suffering severe burns in a house fire. “I am impressed and happy with how the hospital treated my wounds and amazed about the progress I am making so far,” Sithole shared. Another patient, Bafana Alex Ntombela from Pimville, Soweto, echoed similar sentiments, expressing gratitude for the care he received after sustaining significant injuries.
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