Otto du Plessis Hospital Celebrates 50 Years of Existence | Western Cape Government

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Otto du Plessis Hospital Celebrates 50 Years of Existence

12 November 2012

Western Cape Minister of Health, Theuns Botha, today celebrated Otto du Plessis Hospital’s 50 years of existence with the hospital staff members. The hospital was established in 1962 and serviced a community of Bredasdorp and surrounds. It had a total number of 20 staff members, which has now grown to 58, including all clinical and non-clinical staff.

The facility was named after the late Dr Otto Du Plessis, who was born in Bredasdorp. The 30 bed hospital has an average total in-patient days of 679 and the average bed utilisation rate is 76.4% for the past 8 months.

The head count emergencies has an average of 405 patients per month and the head count of outpatients is 56 675 patients per month.

Mr William Murtz was the first baby born at Otto du Plessis Hospital soon after it opened its doors exactly 50 years ago. Mr Murtz was born on 23 July 1962 and has spent all his life in Bredasdorp. He proudly states that his mother received prize money of an amount of R10.00 as an award. Mr Murtz currently works in construction and has two children who were also born at the hospital.

The population served in the Cape Agulhas Sub district is approximately thirty thousand and the biggest population group is the 15+ year age group.

Otto du Plessis Hospital provides services to Bredasdorp Clinic, Bredasdorp Mobile 1 & 2, Elim Satellite Clinic, Napier Clinic, Struisbaai Satellite Clinic and Waenhuiskrans Satellite Clinic. The hospital provides various services for outreach and support, which is outsourced from Worcester Hospital.

A dental service is provided at the hospital and also at Bredasdorp Clinic, and its referral hospital is Worcester Hospital.

Services rendered at Otto du Plessis Hospital include the following:

  • Medical
  • Surgical
  • Gynae
  • Maternity
  • Paediatric
  • Orthopaedic
  • Psychiatry
Media Enquiries: 

Sithembiso Magubane
Principal Communications Officer: District Health Services & Programmes
Western Cape Government: Health
Tel: 021 483 2904
Fax: 021 483 6169
E-mail: sithembiso.magubane@westerncape.gov.za
Website: http://www.westerncape.gov.za