Hi-tech ICU opens at children’s hospital
AN AGREEMENT between the Gauteng Department of Health and Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital has enabled the paediatric ICU hi-tech complex to be opened.
Professor Mkhululi Lukhele, acting head of the Gauteng Department of Health, said discussing and engaging with stakeholders had been a long journey.
“We are reminded that the hospital was built using the public’s funds and I appreciate the coming together of the private and public sector,” said Lukhele.
Although the hospital was not fully functioning and only took day patients, from today it will accept 24-hour patients.
Gauteng Health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa said children were special to Madiba.
“His legacy lives on and we need to offer services to the most vulnerable people living in society,” she said.
Previous reports claiming the hospital was going through financial problems were dismissed by the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital chief executive, Dr Mandisa Maholwana.
She said they had contracts with the government and donors who would ensure the smooth running of the “magnificent health facility”.
She added that the opening was a major milestone and was contributing to Madiba’s legacy.
“It was agreed upon that the hospital would be opened in different phases. This is due to the nature of the specialised intensive care required,” said Maholwana.
She said the referral process was being tackled through existing big hospitals such as Charlotte Maxeke and Chris Hani Baragwanath.
Spokesperson of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Trust, Lulu Herkt, said they had undertaken specialised training of nurses and doctors in paediatric cardiology, paediatric oncology, paediatric nephrology, paediatric ICU and neonatal ICU, and paediatric surgery.