Sundowner doctor cares for children who are most in need
Dr Mehnaaz Ally travels all over Joburg to treat children with life-limiting and/or life-threatening illnesses.
The paediatric palliative care doctor who treated Neyamiah James (3) before the little girl’s death, has told Randburg Sun all about her job caring for children with life-limiting and/or life-threatening illnesses.
Neyamiah had Woree Syndrome and died as a result of her oxygen machine running out of battery after load-shedding. The mother blamed Eskom after her daughter died in her arms on the way to the hospital.
Also read: Doctor was surprised to hear of Neyamiah’s death
Mehnaaz Ally is a Sundowner resident whose work takes her all over Joburg to see patients both in public and private care. She also works at the children’s hospice Lambano Sanctuary in Germiston
“I came to work in this field accidentally,” Ally said. “The doctor that I was initially working in the unit with, went on maternity leave and asked me to cover until she came back. She never did come back and 12 years later, I think I’ve found my niche.”
She said anyone who has a life-limiting or threatening illness can benefit from palliative service, especially if the diagnosis occurs early and it is acted on timeously.
“Too often we get referred patients too late because the misconception is that palliative care is reserved for the terminally ill. I work with children, so I see anything from congenital and rare diseases to cancer and burns.”
There are no recent statistics locally, but Ally said many people could benefit from this special care.
“I’m seeing more inherited and congenital diseases in newborns, rare diseases too. Kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, cancers, traumatic brain injuries, surgical disorders … anything really. If we can’t help relieve distressing symptoms and offer pain management, then we offer basic counselling and support.”
She said the problem of having few palliative care doctors, and especially paediatric palliative care doctors to help children, is that there is a lack of funding to do this full-time.
“I get paid through two different NGOs at an hourly rate. There is no funding from province, state, or the Department of Health to give me a full-time post that will enable me to see more patients over the week at more hospitals, as opposed to cramming everything into eight hours a week.”
Still, Ally loves her work though she said people have to have passion and chutzpah to do it daily. “It’s very rewarding to be able to help children and their families, as they bear the end of life. It’s hard but rewarding.”
Children’s Palliative care week from October 9 to 13, and on the final day there will be an awareness and fundraising initiative called Hats on for Children’s Palliative Care.
ALSO READ: Hats On for Children’s Palliative Care Day
Ally will be encouraging local schools to participate in this.
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