St. Mary’s Hospital – built in 1927 to provide health care to the ‘poorest of the poor’ – initially centred treatments around tuberculosis (TB) malnutrition and typhoid and focused on mothers and children.

By the 1960s an effective treatment plan was in place – especially for TB.But by the 1990s HIV and its effects were devastating communities.

TB and malnutrition became a major focus area while infant mortality and the number of Aids orphans increased – along with demands on the hospital’s services.

Currently around 150 patients are helped in the hospital’s outpatients’ department every day. Today poverty still contributes to the tragedy of patients dying because they can’t afford transport costs to get to clinics for treatment – or can’t afford to buy nutritious food. St. Mary’s has seen HIV ‘flourish’ in this way and has devoted much of its resources and expertise to fighting Aids on every level.

St. Mary’s – along with government and treatment centres – continues to take treatment to the people. This strategy is proving successful and – thanks to the support of St. Mary’s loyal donors – the hospital continues to offer caring medical services to underprivileged people.
Visit www.stmarys.co.za

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