CAPITAL: The Voice of Business Issue 1, 2015 | Page 62

PCB AWARDS
Langalibalele streets, has undergone. It is a
process that is still in progress. Today MMC,
with 225 beds, is one of the largest private
hospitals in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands
region. It employs over 400 permanent
staff, as well as temporary staff members.
MMC is presently embarking on a R150million expansion onto adjacent property
it has bought, which will double the
hospital’s footprint in the area. Work has
already begun on the construction of new
R16m laundry and kitchen facilities, and a
facelift of the administration section will be
next, ensuring that visitors to the hospital
are met by a modern, light-filled and airy
reception area.
Once rezoning of the adjacent property
is approved, the hospital will add six storeys
of parking, more doctors’ consulting rooms,
a catheterisation lab, cardiac unit, cardiothoracic CAT lab and a new and expanded
X-ray facility that will be four times the size
of the current facility.
“These
ventures
will
contribute
significantly toward the local economy,”
said Harrilall, “creating much-needed
employment while greatly enhancing the
image of the lower Pietermaritzburg CBD.”
MMC is a nursing practical training
provider in Pietermaritzburg, servicing
three private nursing colleges and the
Durban University of Technology (DUT).
The hospital’s clinical department works
with students, and provides them with inhouse training and clinical skills to enable
them to qualify as nurses. The long-term
vision for MMC is to establish its own
nursing college.
The PCB adjudicators recognised
MMC’s drive for constant betterment and
commended Midlands Medical Centre
for “its commitment to continuous
improvement,
for
its
substantial
investment in new technology, and for the
development of an exceptional learnership
programme for the training and up-skilling
of nursing staff”
.
In 2014, MMC’s overarching theme was
an investment in people. It is investing
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| Issue 1 | Capital

Michael Wright (MMC hospital
manager at the time), Sweety
Pillay (MMC nursing services
manager) and Dr Iqbal Moola
(MMC director) with Midlands
Medical Centre’s Nedbank PCB
Business of the Year award from
the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of
Business. PHOTO: Supplied
millions into human capital development
by focusing on training and developing
the existing staff, as well as students. This
has included a scholarship programme
for 21 students, worth around R1,7m over
the 12-month period, and a learnership
programme to which MMC is contributing
R1,8m. Both programmes include the
provision of permanent employment
for the students on completion of their
qualifications.
Also mentioned at the presentation of
their award was how MMC reaches out to
the community with various CSI initiatives.
The hospital holds Health Days that raise
awareness and assist the community
on topics such as cancer, diabetes,
men’s health, women’s wellness, social
development, pharmaceuticals, trauma
and maternity-related issues. This helps
make basic healthcare more accessible
to local people. The hospital also deploys
medical staff as volunteers in communityorientated initiatives.