With the highest percentage of burns taking place in the winter months, the opening of the newly renovated Paediatric Burns Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital is a welcome celebration.
Johannesburg, South Africa (31 March 2025) – In a bid to improve the care, management, and treatment outcomes of paediatric surgical and burns patients, a newly renovated paediatric burns unit to the value of R26 million donated by Surgeons for Little Lives in partnership with the Wells Foundation was officially launched at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) on the 27th March 2025.
The Paediatric Burns Unit at CHBAH is currently the only dedicated children’s burns treatment centre outside of the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.
The unit, donated by Surgeons for Little Lives in partnership with the Wells Foundation, has the following benefits for patients:
- An increase of ICU bed capacity from six to eleven;
- 24 Ward Beds, and a shared Operating Theatre, the unit provides an exceptional service to the community of Soweto, the Gauteng Province, and the broader community of Northern South Africa;
- Improved flow within the unit to minimise the acquired hospital infection;
- Improved dressing rooms and wards;
- Space providing for rehabilitative service (OT and Physio) and;
- Provision of public restroom facilities (currently none).
Launched in May 2015, Surgeons for Little Lives is a registered non-profit organisation, with a powerful commitment to saving the lives of sick children.
Prof. Jerome Loveland, Head of Solid Organ Transplantation, Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre & Chairperson: Surgeons for Little Lives, commented:
“The new Paediatric Burns Unit at Bara is not just a medical facility; it is a beacon of hope for the children and families who rely on it. Burns are one of the leading causes of trauma among children and this unit will play a crucial role in saving lives and improving recovery outcomes. Through the generosity of the Wells Foundation and our many supporters, we are transforming paediatric burn care. This is a vital development for the broader community and we are incredibly proud to be part of it.”
This state-of-the-art facility is a great contribution to the Department of Health’s mission to reduce avoidable deaths amongst the most vulnerable in our society, our children.
“As the director of the Burns Unit at Bara, I am excited to witness the positive impact this newly renovated facility will have on our patients. The upgraded ICU capacity and the introduction of rehabilitative services will drastically improve the long-term care and recovery of children who have suffered burns. This unit represents not just an improvement in physical infrastructure but also a great leap in the level of care we can offer and ultimately, in the lives we can save,” concluded Prof. Adelin Muganza, General Surgeon and Director of the Burns Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
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