Call to support children’s hospital
THE Muslim community is being called to direct their Sadaqah (charity), given throughout the sacred month of Ramadaan, to where it is strongly needed and consider the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital as recipients.
The donations will go towards helping critically ill and injured children who receive life-saving treatment at the hospital’s emergency centre.
This is the only paediatric centre in the country that operates 24/7, and reports that it faces an uptick in the number of children admitted with gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses.
Last year, the Children’s Hospital Trust (CHT) launched a fund-raising drive for the upgrade and expansion of the centre which would cost roughly R122 million. Construction began last
April, with the first phase due for completion in July this year and the second in October next year.
Chief executive of CHT, Chantel Cooper, said that thanks to generous donors, CHT was more than halfway to reaching their target and now needed to raise R47 620 458.
“By supporting our Ramadaan appeal, you will directly benefit around 45000 seriously ill and injured children who visit the emergency centre each year. A full 100% of the donations received will go directly to the project and donors are eligible for a Section 18 A tax certificate.”
Cooper said that at present the centre was not able to optimally support the influx of children due to limited space and overcrowding.
She said the funds would be used for specialised care units; two isolation cubicles (very important now); two decontamination rooms with a separate entrance from the outside (vital now); a calming room; child protection room; family counselling room; lift from the centre directly to operating theatres and ICU; separate triage area; more comfortable waiting areas for families; medical and trauma resuscitation areas; and a burns treatment room.
The hospital is also in the midst of the “paediatric surge season”, the period from November to May when more children are admitted with gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses.
To donate, visit www.chtrust.org. za/donate or call 021 686 7860.