Staff Writer
 
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) now boasts a state-of-the-art storage facility, twice the size of the previous one, which was destroyed by fire over a year ago. 
The newly unveiled 3 500m2 general stores will provide the much-needed capacity and relief to the cluttered tunnel stores used by the facility until now. 
The multi-million-rand general stores was officially handed over to the CMJAH on Thursday, 18 May 2023 by the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla together with Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko and Gift of the Givers' Dr Imitiaz Sooliman. 
Gift of the Givers, spent R60 million towards the construction of the new stores in what used to be the hospital's dining hall. The April 2021 fire which started at the Special Dispensary Stores caused structural damage to the storage facility and adjacent sections of the CMJAH. This resulted in the hospital not having adequate storage facility for supplies. 
The new facility has more than enough storage, adequate shelving to assist in organisation and classification of stock, air conditioning and ablution facilities. Taking note of the fire incident, the newly unveiled facility is equipped with integrated fire detection and suppression with fire water storage tanks. 
It also has various storage sections which include the Special Dispensary Stores, ICT Stores and Cleaning Stores amongst others. The receiving, dispatch and transit offices, and one entrance and one exit to ensure accountability and safe keeping of goods coming in and out of building.
Minister Phaahla said that work to complete the other areas affected by fire and in need of refurbishment is continuing. Donors, like Gift of the Givers, have lent their hands to ensure high quality work is done and to make sure our people receive high quality healthcare services in this hospital.
"The new Charlotte Maxeke stores is a cutting edge, purpose designed and constructed medical facility which should prove to be a precedent to those that will follow. It is out of recognition amongst many of us that this hospital is a critical outpost in the health infrastructure design of South Africa. It cannot be let to fail or demise," said the Minister.
The new general stores is part of the ongoing charitable work the Gift of the Givers continues to do within the Gauteng public healthcare sector. Last year, the organisation drilled boreholes at Rahima Moosa and Helen Joseph Hospitals with filtration systems and assisted displaced families and staff at Tambo Memorial Hospital during the Boksburg tanker explosion. 
MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko commended the Gift of the Givers for consistently stepping in to assist communities in need both locally and globally. "The impact of your support extends far beyond the hospital stores themselves. It ripples through our entire healthcare system, empowering us to provide better care, conduct critical research and make advancements in medical science. Your contributions have become the building block upon which we can build a healthier and more resilient society," said MEC Nkomo-Ralehoko.
In addition, Dr Sooliman said that the CMJAH stores is part of the Gift of the Givers' ongoing interventions the organisation has undertaken across the country. These interventions include the building and refurbishment of infrastructure, drilling of boreholes and water connection and the provision of scrubs and a range of items needed to improve healthcare services.
"We are not just ending with this largest medical store in South African. As part of the ongoing interventions in healthcare facilities across Gauteng, we are busy with plans to take Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital off the grid with solar power. Plans have been drawn up, donors have been sourced and we are looking at finalising so that the project can be implemented soon," said Dr Sooliman.