Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital

The first appointments on the staff establishment were made with effect from 1 May 1980. In August 1980 Mrs E.B. Bolani joined the staff as a Senior Sister and she was subsequently promoted to Chief Professional Nurse and Nursing Service Manager, the first nurse to be appointed under Mrs Bolani was Sister N.G. Shange. The first Medical Superintendent at that time was, Dr W.G. McNeill and Hospital Secretary was Mr J.J.F. Coertzen.

The hospital was officially opened on 20 March 1987 and the guest of honour being the honourable Dr M.G. Buthelezi who paid a special tribute to His Royal Highness Prince Arthur Edward Mshiyeni ka Dinuzulu after whom the hospital was named.

The hospital has over the last twenty-five years, grown from strength to strength. Today it is designated a level 2 Specialist Hospital in the Durban Functional Region, with most of its Clinical Specialist sections functioning in conjunction with the Medical School of the University of Natal.

The actual population it serves is difficult to estimate because of the ever mushrooming informal settlements, but our statistics estimate the population to be approximately 2 million. Today the hospital has 1,200 beds and attends to an average of 1,500 patients per day in the outpatients’ clinics. Difficult times have been met by the hospital in its process of development and the hospital management is grateful that the hospital has continued to expand and improve.

Much emphasis is being put on primary health care which is being rendered by the satellite clinics. However, violence in the community has resulted in closure of after hour service in theses clinics. Thus the hospital is rendering Primary as well as Secondary Health Services.

With the continuing close co-operation between management and staff, and the support of the community, Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital has the potential to continue to provide an even more extensive service to its patients and is set to become one of the major role players in the Durban Functional Region.

The present management structure consists of the Hospital Manager, Nursing Manager, Medical Manager, Human Resource Manager, Finance Manager, Systems Manager, Pharmacy Manager.