REUTERS

Former president Nelson Mandela.

It is often said that a country is judged by how it treats its children, a statement the Nelson Mandela Fhildren's Fund holds dearly. Thursday marked an incredible milestone for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.

Hosting their annual children's celebration, the fund donated R42 million to the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.

Dr Velaphi head of Neo-Natal department at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital expressed his gratitude to the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund for its effort in helping realise the dream of a much needed facility.

"So many children die while waiting for ICU beds because there is not enough beds to accommodate them, currently there are 50 children in Johannesburg waiting for surgery and not all of them can be operated on until there are ICU beds to accommodate them" said Velaphi.

He said that as a clinician he understood the amount of positive change the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital will do for many children in this country.

Speaking at the event, CEO for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, Sibongile Khumalo said starting such a facility was a big risk that had to be taken to better the lives of millions of children in Southern Africa who will benefit greatly from such a facility.

"Transforming our facilities gives us the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many children not to mention the capacity to imagine what the world can do for children in this country and above" said Khumalo.

Khumalo said the funds would be used for child-centred, best quality medical services for children in Southern Africa. "We need to create a child friendly space that would allow them to heal quickly and we can only do that by accommodating their parents as well" said Khumalo.

Former Governor of Reserve Bank and now chairman of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund sub committee, Tito Mboweni stressed the need for the donated money to be 'invested not banked'. He said that this will make the hospital sustainable in the long run.

Currently Red Cross is the only children's hospital in the country operating in Cape Town, something the Nelson Mandela children hospital wishes to change.