The new Observatory Forensic Pathology Institute is yet to open its doors, two years since its initial completion date.
This year marks five years since the construction of the more than R287 million facility started. The initial estimated completion date was March 2019.
Completion of the facility, which is a joint project between the Western Cape Health and the Provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, has seen many delays including the implementation of the national lockdown.
Deanna February, provincial spokesperson for Forensic Pathology Services, says as with any construction project delays have been out of their control.
“Some of the delays on the project were attributed to lost time due to the hard lockdown and Covid-19, occupational health and safety protocols. And permanent electrical and water and civil connections. These items have since been resolved with the support of the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works, and contractors.”
February says while practical completion was achieved in June last year a specific date on when the facility will be opening cannot be provided.
“Practical completion was achieved on 4 June 2021 and works completion achieved on 3 November 2021. Final completion is anticipated during the final quarter of 2022, if everything goes according to plan.”
She says the facility commissioning process began after practical completion was awarded, and is ongoing.
Daylin Mitchell, Western Cape Transport and Public Works Minister, says due to various advancements in the services’ business practices since the original project scope was approved, the Western Cape Department of Health (WCGH) identified a list of additional scope items post completion. He says this would ensure optimal utilisation of the Observatory Forensic Pathology Institute.
“These items did not form part of the original scope of the project as at tender stage, nor could they reasonably have been foreseen at the advanced stage of construction in time to be implemented as variations to the original contract.”
He says the health department deems these items critical to the end users’ operational needs. However, they do not constitute significant addition or alteration to the original project design or infrastructure.
“The additional scope is being implemented in parallel with the final stages of commissioning to avoid future interruption of the service once the facility becomes fully operational.”
According to Mitchell, the health department has opted to open certain sections of the facility while the additional scope is being implemented.
Once completed, the level four forensic pathology facility, situated at the entrance of Groote Schuur Hospital, will replace the Forensic Pathology facility in Salt River.
It will add significant capacity to the current pathology services. With 26 autopsy tables – four dissection suites with six tables each – as well as teaching and training dissection suites.
The facility will have 360 refrigerated body spaces, 180 admission fridges, and 180 dispatch fridges.
In addition, the building will be able to accommodate up to 100 visitors to the bereavement centre per day; up to 10 waiting undertakers; and up to 20 students at a time.
In a statement last year, the provincial department of transport and public works said 11 000 decedents (deceased person) are presented for examination at the Western Cape Forensic Pathology Services facilities per annum, with 70% of the cases presented in the Cape Metro region.
The department noted that these numbers have increased significantly because of deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The department says the three-storey facility will enable better integration of the work of provincial Forensic Pathology Services and the National Health Laboratory Service, coupled with resources to support the University of Cape Town’s academic training in the field.
It says the design and construction of the facility is complex and takes into consideration processes aimed at extracting, analysing and preserving the integrity of evidence for use within the Criminal Justice System if required.
The new facility will incorporate the following functions:
- Lower ground floor accommodating parking, service/plant room spaces and a component of the noxious wet lab spaces;
- upper ground floor accommodating the main entrance off Falmouth Road, main autopsy and body refrigeration functions, body receiving and dispatch, and the public waiting and body viewing spaces;
- first floor accommodating laboratories, offices and teaching spaces;
- Roof plant void and slab accommodating additional service/plant room spaces;
- a public parking area located across Falmouth Road.
