Good health: Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, opens upgraded Paediatric Emergency Centre on Feb 24, 2022
| Focus on healthcare: Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, opens upgraded Paediatric Emergency Centre on Feb 24, 2022 Info on The Children’s Hospital Trust’s new projects for 2022: https://www.childrenshospitaltrust.org.za/current-impact/ Donate link: https://www.childrenshospitaltrust.org.za/donate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/childrenshospitaltrust/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/childrenshospitaltrust/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/rcwmch #RCWMCH #EveryLittleOneCounts |
In the mist of global fatigue in year three of the pandemic, The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town is opening the doors of its newly upgraded Paediatric Emergency Centre – today -Thursday – February 24, 2022. The state-of-the-art centre cost R122 million to upgrade. The Western Cape Government contributed R 1 164 193and the shortfall was raised from donations. This is brilliant news for the only paediatric Emergency Centre in Southern Africa, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “The centre provides high quality, evidence-based medical, surgical, nursing and paramedical services. A child- and user-friendly environment is critical to maintain the high standard of care needed to minimise hospitalisation and ensure that children return home to their families.” Donations are always appreciated and will be put to good use to get new projects up and running. Read on to learn more. Info as supplied.
This month (February14, 2022), the Red Cross Children’s Hospital; Trust celebrates 28 years of giving hope and healing and is proud to have raised over R1 billion for child healthcare since its inception. The Trust’s mission is to source funding for vulnerable, sick and injured children with a vision to provide high quality, accessible child healthcare through sustainable funding.
“Generous donors have contributed over a R120 million to the upgrade and expansion of the Emergency Centre in three years; two of those three years was during a pandemic that affected us all in different ways. Few words can describe how grateful we are to all the donors who have walked this journey with us – we feel your presence when we walk through the new rooms in the Emergency Centre. Thank you for helping us make a real difference in the lives of children and their families who need a safe and comfortable space during a traumatic time in their lives.” Chantel Cooper, CEO of The Children’s Hospital Trust.
The RCWMCH is open 24 hours a day
The Emergency Centre at RCWMCH is the only paediatric Emergency Centre in Southern Africa. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the centre provides high quality, evidence-based medical, surgical, nursing and paramedical services. A child- and user-friendly environment is critical to maintain the high standard of care needed to minimise hospitalisation and ensure that children return home to their families.
The Emergency Centre sees the full range of children who require resuscitation; this includes little ones who have been in motor vehicle accidents, suffered severe burns, heart failure and other critically ill or injured children. Prior to the upgrade, the maximum number the resuscitation room could serve, was four. Often, this resulted in more than one patient being placed on a bed. With limited spacing and under-resourced equipment, it was challenging to provide children with the dignified, accessible, and quality care that they deserve.
“We are extremely grateful to our partner, the Children’s Hospital Trust, and to all our donors for helping to make a difference in the lives of all the young patients who need emergency medical and trauma care at our facility. We know this was no small ask, but we also know it will help save lives while improving the quality of service and ultimately the patient experience of children, and their families, in our Emergency Centre.” Dr Anita Parbhoo, CEO of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
When a child is critically ill, they require immediate emergency care and with the previously cramped Emergency Centre, it took about 15 minutes to get a child from the Emergency Centre to ICU. When a child is critically injured, it is a life-and-death situation. Now, there will be direct access via a new lift from EC to ICU. The faster a child is stabilised, the higher the chance of their survival and prevention of serious, long-term impact.
“As the trauma centre for children in the province, the upgraded Emergency Centre at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital will benefit some of the most vulnerable in our province. Through the years the Children’s Hospital Trust has proven itself to be a strategic partner of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and also of children in general. The donors who have given so freely to help make this a reality proves that health is everyone’s business, everyone can make a difference, and everyone benefits from these projects.” Dr Keith Cloete, Head of Department for Western Cape Government Health.
Treating 45,000 children a year
The Red Cross Hospital’s Emergency Centre serves 45,000 children a year and 53% of the little patients are under the age of five while 25% are under one – 56% are male and 44% are female. Most of these patients come from impoverished communities and rely on governmental hospitalisation.
“Our health professionals work day and night providing the best possible care to save the lives of many of our littlest patients. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that they work in a dignified environment. It is also important to note that the work we do in health mostly depends on our infrastructure. That is why infrastructure forms part of our priorities to address patient experience and service pressures. Maintained, clean and functional infrastructure is at the core of our agenda. On behalf of the Department of Health, I would like to thank the Children’s Hospital Trust for the amazing work that they do. Health is everyone’s business, and it will take the Whole of Society Approach for us to achieve our goals of a healthier and safer Western Cape. What they did, attest to that.” Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, Western Cape Government, Minister of Health.
The new and improved Emergency Centre has been designed in partnership with the clinical team and was delivered in two phases. Building was completed in February 2022 and the Emergency Centre is now able to serve more children with state-of-the-art medical equipment.
“There are no words that can describe the service that I received at Red Cross Children’s Hospital, coming here was the best decision I could have made. Rushing my baby from the scene to the hospital was frightening but I am so grateful to every person who donated because I can only imagine how more frightening it would have been coming into a space that is cramped and full.” Tershia Africa, mother of Noah (motor vehicle accident survivor)
“Children are the most important members of our society, which is why ensuring their health and well-being must be our top priority. That is why I am looking forward to the launch of the Red Cross Children’s Hospital’s newly upgraded and world-class Emergency Centre – ensuring that our young people get the services they need when they need them. This project, which has been 3 years in the making, has been made possible thanks to the dedicated staff at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, the many other generous donors who contributed towards this initiative, and the Western Cape Government. Thank you for putting our children’s healthcare first”. Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde.
| Key changes in the upgraded Paediatric Emergency Centre Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Cape Town, which opens Feb 24, 2022- with R122 million in funding: • Specialised care units • Burns treatment room • Two isolation cubicles • Two decontamination rooms with a separate entrance from the outside • Calming room • Child protection room • Family counselling room • Lift from Emergency Centre directly to operating theatres and intensive care unit (ICU) • Separate triage area • Spacious, comfortable waiting areas for families • Medical and trauma resuscitation areas adjacent to each other • Improved staff and teaching facilities About The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital At the forefront of specialist child healthcare in Southern Africa is the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Built in 1956, the Hospital is the largest, stand-alone tertiary hospital in sub-Saharan Africa, dedicated entirely to children, and manages 250,000 patient visits each year. Most of these patients come from poor and vulnerable communities from across all nine provinces of South Africa and all over Africa. The Hospital has active paediatric outreach and support programmes for district and primary care facilities and is regarded as South Africa’s leading centre for postgraduate specialist paediatric, medical, and surgical training and research. The Hospital is fortunate to have the support of The Children’s Hospital Trust, a non-profit organization established in 1994 to raise funds to help advance child healthcare through the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. Working in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Health, UCT Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, and the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital management, the Trust has invested over R1 billion since inception towards improving public health infrastructure, training specialist paediatric health workers, and supporting the establishment of child public healthcare projects. The Trust relies on the benevolence of donors to realise its aims and objectives. 100% of all donations go directly to the Hospital and prioritised paediatric healthcare needs and not a single cent is spent on administration costs. The Trust has a longstanding record of sound financial administration and good governance, but whilst it has raised funds to address many pressing needs, much has yet to be done. ✳ Information as supplied. |
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