By Hayley Axford
On 16 September, Newsclip’s Mia Smit attended the grand opening of the new Operating Theatre Complex at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Rondebosch, Cape Town.
Upon arrival at the new Lolo Surgical Wing, which is aptly translated in Xhosa as ‘the cherished one’, the staff and children of the facility’s crèche performed a song for guests. Thereafter Nicky Bishop, Chief Executive of the Children’s Hospital Trust, the Fundraising Arm of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, officially welcomed everyone to the opening of the R125-million state-of-the-art Operating Complex Theatre.
CEO of the Hospital, Dr Dimitri Erasmus then addressed guests, commenting on the significance of this wing to the children of South Africa. The Hospital, which was built in 1956, is seen as the only specialist facility of its kind in southern Africa, dedicated entirely to children. Erasmus elaborated on how this will allow other African nations to develop and improve their paediatric surgical skills through the use of the multidisciplinary training hub of the new operating theatres’ modern digital lecture facility.
A viewing of the theatre DVD was then screened, focusing on the development of the new complex, from planning to completion, with inserts from the various donors. The Lolo Surgical Wing includes a Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory, a Central Processing Department, an Anaesthetic Suite and a Pain Management Unit.
Commenting on the momentous occasion from a surgeon’s perspective, Head of Paediatric Surgery at the Hospital, Professor Alistair Millar, explained how the wing will be able to keep abreast with modern surgical techniques and technology, which will result in greater efficiency and improved patient outcomes. To illustrate his point, the attention of the audience was then directed to a live crossing of the new operating theatre, featuring a demonstration of the digital resources that have been provided to achieve this and which will be used in the training of young surgeons and medical staff.
To attest to the sterling work of doctors at the Hospital, who perform more than 700 surgeries every month, former patient Vinolia Naidoo said that ‘when love and skill come together, it is truly a miracle and it saves lives’.
A special plaque was then presented to all Major Donors on behalf of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and its beneficiaries. Chairman of the Children’s Hospital Trust, Mr Chris Niland then addressed the audience before handing over to keynote speaker, Western Cape Premier, Helen Zille, by presenting her with the symbolic key to the door of the new complex.
To culminate the opening, guests were requested to move across to the outdoor façade of the new Operating Complex Theatre, where Premier Zille officially unveiled “The Lolo Wing - Surgical Centre of Excellence for Children - Proudly supported by the Dutch Postcode Lottery” with the of the Overall Naming Right of the facility. <
Major Donors include:
• The ELMA Foundation
• Raymond Ackerman
• Adcock Ingram Holdings Ltd
• Engen Petroleum
• The Harry Crossley Foundation
• The Atlantic Philanthropies
• Dutch Postcode Lotteries
• Leycester Walton Family Trust
• Knorr-Bremse Global Care
• Netcare
• Edcon
• Provincial Government of the Western Cape
• Cape Argus
• The Pola Pasvolsky Charitable and Educational Trust
• Weiner Family