Through the Burns Project, the Children’s Hospital Trust is upgrading burn care facilities in local hospitals providing immediate, high-quality treatment to children who have severe burns.
Cape Town, South Africa (16 September 2024) – The Children’s Hospital Trust is striving to make a significant impact on the lives of young burn victims in the Western Cape.
According to the trust, many children currently face long waits and challenging journeys due to limited burn facilities.
The story of five-year-old Aliwela, who tragically became a victim of a fire that broke out in his father’s home at an informal settlement while visiting over the weekend, paints a heartwrenching picture of the traumas many innocent children experience.
Aliwela’s dad had been warming up a meal in the shack while the little boy was playing inside. Only a few households in the area have legal electricity, and many rely on wood, coal fires, or gas to boil water or make food.
The shack caught fire while Aliwela’s dad was preparing the food, and the flames severely burned the poor boy who struggled to escape in time.
The community was able to rush to assist and save the little boy, who was rushed to Mossel Bay Hospital and airlifted to George District Hospital to be stabilised.
Despite severe burns to his face body, thankfully, he got the treatment he needed at the Red Cross War Memorial Hospital through the Children’s Hospital Trust’s Burns Project.
Not many children are as fortunate to access the care Aliwela did. Over and above that, treating children’s burn wounds is complex as they are easily susceptible to infections and secondary injuries due to their lower immune systems and thinner skin.
Responding to this great need and concern, The Children’s Hospital Trust’s project aims to build treatment/wash facilities for pediatric burn victims as well as new burns/wound care rooms enabling efficient access for both new and follow-up treatment of children with burn injuries at three different hospitals.
“Our project focuses on upgrading infrastructure at Worcester Regional Hospital, Worcester CDC, and Ceres District Hospital to provide immediate, high-quality care.
“We’re equipping these facilities with essential tools like burns wash beds and cardiac monitors to ensure the best possible treatment for young burn patients,” the organisation shared.
Sources: The Children’s Hospital Trust
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google.
Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.
by 