Children’s home becomes kid friendly

Cape Town-150729-St Josephs Home For Chrinically Ill Children launched the new renovated building today. Present was the National Minister of Health, Nomafrench Mbombo who delivered the keynote speach. In pic comforting 3 year old Uminahti Nqilo is, Sister, Sharmila Pinto -Reporter-Siya-Photographer-Tracey Adams

Cape Town-150729-St Josephs Home For Chrinically Ill Children launched the new renovated building today. Present was the National Minister of Health, Nomafrench Mbombo who delivered the keynote speach. In pic comforting 3 year old Uminahti Nqilo is, Sister, Sharmila Pinto -Reporter-Siya-Photographer-Tracey Adams

Published Jul 30, 2015

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Cape Town - The St Joseph’s Home for chronically ill children in Montana unveiled the first phase of its R37 million upgrade on Wednesday.

St Joseph’s treats more than 300 children from disadvantaged communities who have life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses. Two of its five wards housing 55 beds have been renovated.

Audrey Gourrah, a nurse who looks after the children, said the upgrade was making their work easy. “Before, the hospital looked more like an institution, which was intimidating for the children. But now it is child-friendly and very inviting.”

She said even the nurses’ morale has been boosted because they can now see the children from their new office at all times. Gourrah added that since the renovations now catered for family visits, the home would like to encourage families to connect with their children and be part of their recovery.

Director Thea Patterson said the R37m project was focused on improving the facilities to benefit the children. “The brief was to renovate the home and to ensure that the wards were more child-friendly, more containing, less intimidating and more energy-saving.”

Patterson said the creation of a central therapeutic hub, the upgrade of staff facilities and the provision of recreational and domiciliary areas for parents and families were essential to a child’s well-being.

The next phase consists of three more wards, which are expected to be finished by the end of next year.

She said for the past 80 years the home has been a pioneer in responding to the ever-changing needs of children with chronic conditions. “We wanted to create playful spaces where children would feel at ease. The building embraces the child and encourages healing and wellness.”

The MEC for Health, Nomafrench Mbombo, said the health budget funds 117 beds in the facility, which amounts to R18.5m a year. This is about 25 percent of the total budget for funding to intermediate care facilities across the province.

St Joseph’s plays a key role in providing paediatric intermediate care as one of the few organisations of its kind in the province.

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Cape Argus

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