History of the hospital

“Umphumulo has come a very long way from what it was before, I am also happy to be still alive to see its progress” said Mrs Ngcobo, in the interview.

According to records found Umphumulo Hospital was originally a training college for teachers and was built in 1890, by the Norwegian Lutheran Mission Society, Glebe, under the guidance of Bishop Schroeler (uMankankana)

The missionaries then, decided to transform it to a hospital on 12 October 1935 due to an increasing number of tuberculosis cases in the area. The hospital building was one sole building that was later partitioned into “wards” to accommodate maternity patients. In 1942 a hospital kitchen was built together with two huts, one for Male TB patients, which accommodates 6 patients, and the other one was for Female TB patients, which accommodated 5 patients at a time. As years passed by and the employees who came and stayed for a while made some difference in the hospital’s progress, until the early 1950’s.

Mrs Gasta Ngcobo umaNtuli who started working at Umphumulo Hospital in 1954 as a maid while Matron Khwam (the first Matron) was still in charge, gave us an insight of the conditions the hospital in general was and the tough conditions they were working under at that time.

There is a chapel within the hospital premises that was built by the missionaries, as they were deeply religious people who did everything else with God in mind.

All the employees would assemble in the chapel and pray before they could start any of their duties. Outside the chapel there are three graves, which belong to the very first missionaries who came to Umphumulo Hospital. Mrs Ngcobo confirmed that the hospital was very small and it was solely the missionaries’ responsibility. The government at the time did not want to take over the hospital because it was very old and the missionaries were requested to upgrade it before any recommendations could be done. In 1958, after the English war, the first vehicle was the soldiers van that was donated to the hospital, which was driven by the Matron to transport patients.

Dr Gumede joined the institution in 1965 and then there were major improvements within the hospital as he was based within the premises and more people started to have faith in Umphumulo Hospital and the community members came in masses.

A certain doctor who came from Ekombe built the Outpatient Department in the early 1970’s. He donated from his own money and seeked funds from overseas countries to build the whole OPD as it is today. The main kitchen was also renovated. Shortly after the hospital was renovated the KwaZulu Government took over but shortly handed it over to the state. In the late 1970’s, when it was the state hospital, the nurse’s posts were advertised and nurses were hired. In the 1980’s, Mrs Ngcobo and other maids were offered opportunities to study and qualified as Nursing Assistants, and were registered at the Nursing Council.

The Hospital is still very small and on its early stages of development but it will get there. It will take time and a lot of dedicated staff members that we have to take it to higher heights.
 

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