Life Flora Hospital: A passion for paediatric care

As with everything else in life, not all experiences are good and we sometimes have to deal with difficult situations that can leave us traumatised.

One of these experiences, especially if you are a child, can be when you have to go to hospital, but according to the paediatric staff at Life Flora Hospital this does not need to be the case.

In celebration of Youth Month, Life Flora Hospital is highlighting the paediatric care services available at their Life Kidz Unit where patients and parents alike can be assured that they will be treated by experts who are passionate about caring for children.

Why should you choose the Life Kidz Unit at Life Flora Hospital?
When a child is sick or injured, it is only natural that you’ll want them to receive the best possible care, and that is what is offered at the Life Kidz Unit. The paediatric care is delivered by a team of paediatric doctors and nurses who are passionate about children.

The care they provide, is rooted in love.

What does the Life Kidz Unit at Life Flora Hospital offer?

To ensure your visit at the paediatric unit is one to remember for all the right reasons, the following is offered:

– Expert paediatric team:

The doctors at the unit have years of experience in diagnosing and treating a wide spectrum of childhood illnesses and traumas. They show sincere empathy towards patients and their parents, and their dedication shines through in every interaction.

– First-class facilities:

The unit is custom-designed to help kids heal, and to ensure they feel at ease. While the medical facilities are superb, the set-up is also designed to be as child-friendly as possible to ease their experience.

– Nurturing environment:

The paediatric team understands that being in hospital can be potentially upsetting for children, and that is why they do everything possible to recreate comforting and familiar routines and surroundings.

The paediatric team is dedicated to offering the best care that is rooted in love to assure parents that, when they chose Life Kidz Unit to care for their child, they not only made the best choice, but a nurturing one too.

Meet Sophia Black, the Life Kidz Unit manager:
Sophia obtained her medical qualification in 2000 but only started working at Life Flora Hospital in January 2022. She has been working with children for the past 22 years in different roles, including general paediatrics, paediatric intensive care and neonatal intensive care. She has been the Life Kidz Unit manager for the past six months.

Sophia explained that the Life Kidz Unit has three paediatricians, and can take up to 16 patients ranging from two days to 12 years old. “We take mostly acute cases, meaning you will stay in hospital an average of three days, but it depends on the case.” Each bed space has its own television with a few Cartoon Network channels.

What can parents expect when their little one is admitted to the Life Kidz Unit?
Sophia assured parents that when their little ones are admitted to their unit, they will receive the best care possible.

“Our entire paediatric team adores and loves working with children and we will do everything to minimise their fear and pain. We will only use intravenous therapy or draw blood on orders of our paediatricians, and only if absolutely necessary. Our nurses also explain everything to the children and parents in a way they can understand.”

What does a typical day look like in the Life Kidz Unit?
Any unit in a hospital comes with its own challenges and excitement, and with the paediatric unit it is no different. Sophia explained that no two days are the same in the unit, but it is always exciting! She described a typical day as follows, “We start the morning with handover of the patients from night staff to the day staff. I usually take 15 minutes after this to tell the nurses about each case, condition, medication, etc.

“We greet our little ones and their parents, after which our paediatricians do their rounds before 09:00. We discharge the patients that are ready to go home. We monitor the children’s vital data every four hours and follow our medication orders as received from the paediatricians, take patients to theatre, collect them from theatre and admit new little ones. I typically need to attend a meeting or two a day.”

What does it take to be a paediatrician?
Great paediatricians are amazing people who are honest, communicate well, have a great deal of compassion, should be observant, intelligent, persistent, level-headed, open-minded and resourceful when diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses. With these qualities in mind, parents can rest assured that the three paediatricians at the Life Kidz Unit meet al the above criteria and more, meaning their little ones are in the best hands possible.

Meet Dr Tolela Marc Kitoko:
Dr Kitoko underwent training through the African Fellowship of Paediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand and also has a Diploma in Family Medicine from the University of Pretoria. He chose paediatrics because of his love for children and believes that children is our best investment. He has been in practice since 2010 and is also a specialist in family medicine.

Dr Kitoko, who is also a father, said he enjoys working with children of all ages, and figuring out how to alleviate allergies in children is a very exciting prospect for him. He tries his best to make all his patients (and their parents) feel comfortable when they visit his consulting rooms.

“When I have an anxious paediatric patient in my rooms, I will use their parents in a demonstration before starting my exam on the patient. I also use toys to help ease their minds.”

Meet Dr Heinrich Koekemoer:
Dr Koekemoer’s journey started after completing his general practitioner training in 2007.

“I accumulated experience in emergency and trauma medicine which then led me to pursue a career in paediatrics, because I wanted to be able to assist the most vulnerable in our society,” he explained.

He has been in practice since 2010, focusing exclusively on paediatrics from 2014. He holds a certificate in travel medicine, a diploma in emergency care as well as a diploma in paediatric palliative care.

This father of two enjoys working with children from birth up to puberty, and to support his philosophy of ‘less is more’ he is open to holistic care to ensure a thriving child by always using safe practices. While he has a special interest in acute and critical care, gastroenterology and neonatal care, Dr Koekemoer’s services include general health and developmental checks, nutrition, growth, paediatric travel medicine, infectious diseases and advice on immunisations, the allergic child as well as neurodevelopment in children.

He also believes that, to enable each child to reach their full potential, you have to empower the parents, and he also follows this method when he has to examine an anxious patient, “When I have anxious patients, I reassure them by giving them control over the situation by empowering them with the knowledge they need to understand the situation.”

Dr Koekemoer concluded by saying, “I strive to provide my little patients with attentive care in all areas of their health and well-being, and I am dedicated to educating new parents and families on their child’s health and development. I am able to assist you in making healthcare-related decisions that can shape your child’s future”.

Meet Dr Azwitamisi Tshigabe:
Dr Tshigabe has a MBChB (MEDUNSA) degree as well as a FCPAED (SA) degree from the University of the WItwatersrand, and has been a paediatrician for the past 23 years.

He explained that the role of a paediatrician is health promotion and preventative medicine which includes vaccination and management of diseases, and he shared some of his views.

“I believe vaccines are the best tools to prevent diseases, and antibiotics should only be given when absolutely necessary. My view is that breastfeeding is the best and would only advise on sleep training when the individual (parents) express an interest in this method.”

Dr Tshigabe enjoys working with patients of all ages in his practice and has a keen interest in allergic diseases as well as neonatology. Being a father of two, he has first-hand experience in working with young ones, and this is evident in the method he uses to reassure anxious patients.

“When faced with anxious patients, I will give them all the information relating to the procedure as well as the benefits thereof. If I have a patient that is scared of needles, I turn to reassurance.”