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Historical Background : Osindisweni hospital

In 1889 the Dominican Order of South Africa established a; mission at Oakford for the purpose of establishing school, medical services and an agricultural service.  In 1930 a clinic was established which was run by Sister Gertrudis Birkner, a medically qualified doctor from Germany.  A second clinic was later established at Ekukhanyeni.

In 1960 the Archbishop of Durban was granted permission by the Government to build a hospital in the area.  A site exactly midway between the two clinics, Oakford and Ekukhanyeni, was chosen to build Osindisweni hospital.

The hospital was built  in two phases, a TB hospital that opened in June 1963 and a General Hospital that opened in December 1968.  Later further structures were established consisting of a nurses home,  a convent, a chapel, a workshop and staff residences.

The hospital operated with a private licence and was subsidised by the State.

In 1984 the hospital was taken over by the Department of National Health and Population Development.  As this was the only public hospital between Durban and Stanger an upgrade was done in 1986.  The first phase consisted of a new outpatient complex. The next two phases, consisting of a new theatre and administration block, and the doubling of the hospital's bed capacity, did not materlialize.

In 1992 the hospital was taken over the Natal Provincial Administration and in 1994 it became a fully fledged provincial hospital under the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health.

 Osindisweni hospital, 1965
Osindisweni hospital, 1965

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