Real estate investment trust Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings (GHPH) has completed the development of the Epione Health Village, in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

This development represents South Africa’s first integrated primary and surgical health village, combining primary care, specialist care, day surgery, pharmacy and diagnostics all under one roof.

Growthpoint highlights that this flagship facility is valued at about R100-million and introduces a new model of integrated, accessible and affordable healthcare to South Africa.

The company adds that this project has brought together GHPH’s capital and healthcare real estate specialisation, Growthpoint’s development expertise and health solutions company Epione’s founding philosophy of doctor-led, patient-centred care that is both affordable and inclusive.

“We identified Growthpoint as our partner of choice about eight years ago and explored this concept together. They have the experience, capital and expertise to build successful hospitals.

“Epione is a small project compared to others for Growthpoint, but the attention to detail, the skills and the expertise they provided to help us develop this project and bring it to life have been tremendous,” Epione founder and director Garikai Govati comments.

Meanwhile, GHPH has grown a portfolio of R8-billion in assets under management comprising hospitals, medical suites, pharmaceutical manufacturing, warehousing facilities, senior living communities and now the first Epione Health Village.

“We are proud to be the healthcare property partner and developer that helped bring this vision to life. It represents exactly the kind of asset GHPH exists to help create, by providing capital and know-how.

“Epione Health Village is a purpose-built, thoughtfully designed healthcare offering that serves a real community need,” says GHPH fund manager Farhana Russell.

In terms of the design layout, Govati notes, on the ground floor, an open-plan entrance faces directly out to the community, with a pharmacy and coffee shop at the threshold, followed by a concierge point and a primary healthcare corridor of 22 consulting rooms.

He adds that these accommodate eight general practitioners, dental and optometry practices, clinical associates and a skin cancer centre of excellence staffed by dermatologists and specialist surgeons focused on melanoma and related skin conditions.

In addition to an on-site pharmacy, he says an in-house laboratory offering histopathology and about 80% of the tests provided by major diagnostic providers completes the ground-floor offering.

The second floor houses an ambulatory surgery centre with 20 beds and two fully equipped theatres capable of handling a range of surgical cases across specialties, and additional clinical services include colorectal and endoscopy screening.

With its first health village, Govati says, Epione has created a “category-defining” healthcare model for Africa, starting in South Africa and seamlessly integrated, highly accessible and constructed with attention to both clinical function and patient experience.

“Healthcare requires a lot of compassion. It is the greatest expression of humanity. Walking into a space that is conducive to offering healthcare means the healing starts before you even see a doctor. We plan to offer more of these spaces across Africa,” he concludes.