FirstRand Empowerment Foundation Donates R9.5 Million to Upgrade Liver Transplant Unit at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) has officially opened its newly upgraded liver transplant unit (Area 561) following a R9 500 000 donation from the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation through its implementation partner, the FirstRand SPIRE Fund.

Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital is one of South Africa’s largest public tertiary and academic hospitals and serves as the primary referral centre for complex care across Gauteng while functioning as the main teaching platform for the University of the Witwatersrand. It is the only public hospital in Gauteng equipped to perform both liver and kidney transplants. The hospital’s kidney transplant service supports patients from multiple Gauteng facilities as well as referrals from Limpopo and North West provinces. Demand for liver transplants at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital is particularly high because no other public-sector facility in the province offers the procedure. The unit also supports other solid organ transplant programmes, including bone marrow transplants.

The FirstRand Empowerment Foundation donation has funded essential infrastructure and safety upgrades to the transplant unit, directly strengthening high-care and intensive-care capacity at the hospital. The improvements include:

• Installation of new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment to establish a positive-pressure environment in isolation cubicles
• Replacement of the intercom system to enable family communication with patients
• Upgraded ablution facilities
• New nurses’ station
• Staff lockers and repairs to the staff kitchen
• Repair of vinyl flooring
• Installation of fire doors and fire-resistant partitioning
• New smoke extraction system
• Sealing of ceiling openings with lightweight concrete blocks to create a fireproof barrier

This latest project forms part of a successful five-year partnership between FirstRand and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital that has already delivered:

• An additional 47 beds of ICU capacity
• New equipment for the existing cardiac ICU
• Emergency structural repairs to Blocks 4 and 5 following the 2021 fire
• Full repair and deep cleaning of Block 5 to enable re-opening
• Infrastructure upgrades including a hybrid cath lab, MRI machine and two CT scanners
• Funding for ICU nurses that supported approximately 40 scoliosis operations

“This upgrade represents a major step forward in our ability to deliver world-class transplant care to public-sector patients who previously had limited options,” commented Ms Gladys Bogoshi – CEO, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.  “We are deeply grateful to the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation for their generous support and longstanding partnership. “The new facilities will improve infection control, patient safety and staff working conditions, ultimately saving more lives.”

Ms Kone Gugushe, representing the FirstRand Empowerment Foundation, added: “FirstRand Empowerment Foundation is proud to continue its long-standing support of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Investing in critical infrastructure such as the liver transplant unit directly expands access to specialised healthcare for the most vulnerable members of our society.”

This collaboration is a shining example of what public-private partnerships can achieve in South Africa’s healthcare system. The upgraded Area 561 Transplant Unit will bring life-saving care, renewed hope and better outcomes to patients and families across Gauteng and beyond — a powerful reminder of the positive impact that can be created when we work together for a healthier future.