KWAZULU NATAL

LOWER UMFOLOZI DISTRICT WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
(EMPANGENI HOSPITAL)

This hospital, of 240 beds, houses the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and the Department of Neonatal Paediatrics of Ngwelezana Hospital. These departments were transferred in 1998 as a result of the rationalisation of facilities following the amalgamation of the KwaZulu Government and the Natal Provincial Administration in 1995.

The Department of O & G is responsible for the delivery of over 9000 babies per year and takes referrals as a level 3 unit from the whole of Zululand. This covers an area from the Tugela River in the south to the Swaziland and Mozambique borders in the north. The western highlands are not included in the catchment. Similarly, the Neonatal Paediatrics Department takes level 3 responsibilities for the same area. There are over 2000 gynaecological procedures performed and the Neonatal Nursery contains a Neonatal ICU with two ventilators for premature and sick babies and 44 incubators.

The staff complement consists of five specialists - 3 in O & G, one in Neonatal Paeds and one in Anaesthetics. Only the O & G specialist posts are filled at present. The Principal Paediatrician in charge of Neonatal Paediatrics occupies a post from Ngwelezana Hospital where he has general paediatric wards. There is a complement of four Principal Medical Officer posts, one of which is unfilled, and 6 Senior Medical Officer posts, all currently vacant. Two out of three Medical Officer posts are also available. The rest of the medical staff consists of three interns and currently one COSMO, though next year we will have two COSMOs. Interns and Community Service Doctors are assigned to us in rotation from Ngwelezana Hospital. We are a satellite unit of the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine of University of Natal and recognised for a year of training towards the SACOG. The hospital is also accredited for training for the 6 month Diploma in Obstetrics, and can boast a pass rate of almost 100%.

Students wishing to do their electives in Obstetrics & Gynaecology are always welcome, and we have had a steady flow of both local and overseas students coming through. We believe we can offer a standard of teaching and certainly case exposure that is not easy to achieve in the big academic centres. Contact the Principal Specialist, Allen Kambaran, on allen.kambaran@kznhealth.gov.za if you are interested.

The attractions of this part of South Africa are worth mentioning. We are situated 170 km north of Durban on the N2 making it an easy hour and a half road trip to the "big city". The town of Empangeni is administratively combined with nearby Richards Bay to form the Umhlatuze City. The beach at Richards Bay is only 18 km away and the harbour there allows for boating - yachting, sail boarding, ski boating, and canoeing. The oldest Game Reserve in the country, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi is an hour to the north, and beyond that, are many other smaller game parks both public and private. Scuba diving at Sodwana Bay is an hour and a half away.