A safer hospital for mothers and their newborns at Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital.
The hospital recently unveiled its upgraded triage ward that was funded by private companies including, TotalEnegies.
Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH) recently unveiled its revamped triage ward.
Among other upgrades, the 80-year-old hospital’s ward now boasts, new triage beds, chairs and other much needed equipment.
The refurbishment comes after an investigation was conducted and a report released by the Office of the Health Ombudsman into the aged hospital. Among many other key points, the report aimed to identify and investigate whether expectant mothers at RMMCH slept on the hospital floors and if the health and dignity of patients and well-being of healthcare workers was severely compromised. Investigations into both of these aspects were substantiated and confirmed.
The report also pointed out that since the hospital’s construction in 1943 no substantial upgrades have been made to its infrastructure. A point the hospital’s CEO, Dr Arthur Manning, also addressed in his opening on the day. He attributed the hospital’s difficulty in giving patients the quality care that they needed, to the infrastructural challenges. “After the report by the ombudsman we called for assistance for some the projects that needed to be done,” he explained.
Dr Manning said donors who made this upgrade possible took wards that looked downtrodden and dilapidated, and made it a place of beauty, for hospital staff to respect and show dignity to their patients. “This [upgrade] is something massive to us. After Chris Hani Baragwanath we are the busiest maternity unit in the country, delivering an average of 1 200 babies a month, so it is a high velocity unit. Just by these donors putting in new beds and chairs, you have made a difference to 1 200 women every single month.”
TotalEnergies, one of the donor companies were happy to be part of the project. The company’s, Leon Steyn said, “Listening to staff today is much more touching to me.” He said it is easy for one to give money, as it may take the problem away. But, it is the time, effort and resources that you give to others, that makes a difference, “Especially in the time of ‘me’ where everyone is self motivated. We forget of the importance of giving to your neighbour.”
RMMCH’s Dr Amy Wise who shared she had been working full-time there since about 2009, thanked all who had a hand in making this upgrade possible on behalf of the people they serve, “We have a wide ranging community, ladies come as far as Diepsloot and they travel a long way everyday. If you are going to travel in two taxis to get here, then sit here for the entire day before you are able to be seen by hardworking staff- to be able to wait in an environment that is clean, neat and beautiful, on a comfortable chair makes a difference.” To be able to be in an area now that is looks fantastic coupled with the new beds and equipment which she thinks will make a big difference as it’ll allow them be able to not only manage patients better, but transport them on equipment that works and is able to move is great.
A walkabout through the newly refurbished ward saw those in attendance walk into rooms whose walls are painted in lavender. Though its most striking feature was the brand new functioning equipment it housed. Peaking at the mothers with their newborns who this equipment was used to help was the most heartwarming part. Knowing that these new mothers and many others, who have new found reason to feel safe at RMMCH, gives a more urgent need for there being more of this kind of upgrades.
Related article:
Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital welcome New Year’s babies
