St Mary’s Hospital, Pinetown

More than 750 000 people, living in the Inner and Outer West Operational Areas of the Durban Metropolitan area rely on St Mary’s Hospital for medical care. The following statistics indicate the numbers of people from the community that we support:

On an annual basis:

15 000 people receive inpatient treatment in the Hospital;
In excess of 64 000 people visit the outpatient clinics;
6 000 babies come into the world via the Hospital’s Midwife Obstetric Unit;
4 000 children are treated in the 45-bed Children’s ward.

Since its inception, the Hospital has catered primarily to the healthcare needs of the “poorest of the poor”, living in rural and peri-urban areas. Most of our patients are not on medical aid and are financially unable to make more than a token payment, if anything at all.
Due to the shortage of government-run facilities in the area, St Mary’s Hospital operates as a level one district hospital on behalf of the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Department of Health. In return for this service, the Department of Health funds a percentage of the Hospital’s operational costs, this is calculated on an annual basis. The 2005/2006 financial year saw operational assistance to the value of approximately 80% of the Hospital’s entire operation and 90% of the Hospital itself. The remainder of the operational costs, as well as funding for any special projects, is raised by the Hospital.

St Mary’s special projects focus on the comprehensive treatment of HIV/AIDs; as well as the Nursing College.