Maseru Referral Hospital, Lesotho - September 2011

Project Discipline: Commercial Retail/Industrial Sector
Business Unit: Aveng Grinaker-LTA Building

The new Maseru Referral Hospital in Lesotho - built by Aveng Grinaker-LTA for client Netcare - is a prototype building that features a design that may be taken to other African countries.

Challenges abounded on the project, including the site's remote location and the punishing Winter weather in Lesotho, but Aveng Grinaker-LTA is proud to have delivered an exceptionally high quality facility.

Job creation was a significant feature of the project. At its peak, 1 500 people were employed on site, and two thirds of these workers were from the local communities. A total of 33 selected subcontractor companies were used to carry out specialised work, along with 27 domestic subcontractor companies and three direct contractors. Aveng Grinaker-LTA assisted 36 independent subcontractors with training and enterprise development.

In addition to creating employment for local people, the project also showcases local materials, with natural elements like Lesotho sand stone used on the external façades.

The new hospital offers 425 beds and includes a clinic, doctors' sessional rooms, out patient and trauma departments, physiotherapy and occupational therapy rooms, radiology and pathology departments and a retail pharmacy. In addition to the 14 blocks that make up the main hospital, Aveng Grinaker-LTA's contract also entailed the refurbishment of three existing filter clinics in Maseru.

A highlight of this 24-month contract was achieving the safety milestone of 3.5 million hours without a lost time injury (LTI).

Completed: 2010