The Children’s Hospital Trust celebrated a landmark achievement with the opening of a R90 million, state-of-the-art Orthopaedic Unit at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.

Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, delivered the keynote address, paying tribute to the hospital team who “make miracles happen.” 

“May this new orthopaedic unit raise the bar even higher and enable you to bring more hope, more comfort, better care, and new opportunities in life to even more boys and girls in our city.”

At a cost of R90 million, fully funded by donors, the new facility represents one of the largest private investments in paediatric healthcare infrastructure in recent years. 

Built by the Children’s Hospital Trust, it consolidates all paediatric orthopaedic services under one roof and boasts a 30-bed inpatient ward, outpatient consultation rooms, two specialist operating theatres, two procedure rooms, a central nurses’ station, and a physiotherapy gym with an outdoor therapeutic play area.

The project follows the closure of Maitland Cottage Children’s Orthopaedic Hospital after 100 years of service.

With patient volumes rising and cases becoming increasingly complex, a modern, purpose-built unit was urgently needed to meet demand.

Ian Scott, former chairperson of the Maitland Cottage Hospital board, reflected on the enduring legacy of that institution.

“A group of compassionate people got together and bought two cottages in Maitland for the care of children with orthopaedic needs greater than that which was available at the time. I think those guys who started it nearly 100 years ago would be super proud of what they see here today.”

Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital CEO, Dr Anita Parbhoo, explained the significance of the project. 

“Previously, our orthopaedic services were rendered across two separate facilities: at Maitland Cottage Hospital in Newlands, and here on the premises of the hospital. This project was born out of a necessity to consolidate services here and create a new, combined multidisciplinary space for the management of children who require specialised orthopaedic and rehabilitation services.”

The scale of the new unit’s impact is substantial.

Each year, the orthopaedic department manages 1,700 admissions, 5,500 outpatient visits, and 1,000 surgeries, including 1,400 patients treated in the clubfoot clinic. 

Now, more than 5,000 paediatric orthopaedic patients annually will benefit from care in this modern facility, which will also serve as a training hub for the next generation of paediatric specialists.

For the Children’s Hospital Trust, the R90 million project is both a fundraising triumph and a testament to collaboration. 

CEO Chantel Cooper said: “This has been a tricky project, but with every challenge, there came opportunities. And with the opportunities, we’ve found the value of collaboration. And the important thing was, we solved the problems together.”

She extended heartfelt thanks to the donors who made the project possible. 

“This project is 100% funded by donors. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without your support. Thank you for trusting us to do what we do best, and that is creating safe spaces for the Red Cross team to provide an incredible service to children and their families.”

tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus 

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