Top 10 Child Care Hospitals in 2022

Top 10 Child Care Hospitals in 2022
In a world afflicted by disasters, diseases, pandemic and
warfare, the significance of healthcare has become
immeasurable, becoming even more of a necessity
along with food, clothing and shelter.
For children especially, comprehensive and quality
healthcare is essential for their survival, and also so they
may thrive into their full potential and make a meaningful
contribution to society.
This edition, the Top 10 Child Care Hospitals in 2021,
emphasizes this necessity and highlights those healthcare
institutions and organizations who strive ceaselessly to
deliver comprehensive and quality care to our children.
About The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s
Hospital
At the forefront of specialist child healthcare in Southern
Africa is the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital
in Cape Town, South Africa. Built in 1956, the Hospital is
the largest, stand-alone tertiary hospital in sub-Saharan
Africa, dedicated entirely to children, and manages 250,000
patient visits each year. Most of these patients come from
poor and vulnerable communities from across all nine
provinces of South Africa and all over Africa.
The Hospital has active paediatric outreach and support
programmes for district and primary care facilities and is
regarded as South Africa’s leading centre for postgraduate
specialist paediatric, medical, and surgical training and
research.
The Hospital is fortunate to have the support of The
Children’s Hospital Trust, a non-profit organization
established in 1994 to raise funds to help advance child
healthcare through the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s
Hospital.
Working in partnership with the Western Cape Department
of Health, UCT Department of Paediatrics and Child
Health, and the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s
Hospital management, the Trust has invested over R1
billion since inception towards improving public health
infrastructure, training specialist paediatric health workers,
and supporting the establishment of child public healthcare
projects.
The Trust relies on the benevolence of donors to realise its
aims and objectives. 100% of all donations go directly to
the Hospital and prioritised paediatric healthcare needs and
not a single cent is spent on administration costs. The Trust
has a longstanding record of sound financial administration
and good governance, but whilst it has raised funds to
address many pressing needs, much has yet to be done.
The Epitome of Empathy and Care
“At the Children’s Hospital Trust, we value integrity,
collaboration, accountability, kindness and being dynamic
in everything we do,” says Chantel Cooper, CEO of the
Children’s Hospital Trust.
Chantel joined the Children’s Hospital Trust in 2013 as the
Head of Fundraising and Communication and was
appointed as CEO in 2019. For her, 2020 was a year that
helped her understand perspective and reinforced the
importance of why the Trust exists and the difference they
want to make in the lives of children. “Our cause is driven
by the need to make a difference in the lives of sick and
injured children. We are people who work together to save
the lives of children. We all have a purpose!” she says.
Sharing excerpts from her journey, Chantel says:
“My purpose in life is to serve those who are most
vulnerable: women and children. My career was driven by
my passion to make a real difference in the lives of women
and children. When I was 18 years old, I volunteered for an
organization that provided support for women who had
been raped. While volunteering, I started working with
women in rural areas in the Eastern Cape where we found
opportunities to grow their businesses.”
“My passion to support women led me to Cape Town where
I became Director of Rape Crisis Cape Town when I was 27
years old. After giving birth to two children, I moved to an
organization called St Joseph’s Home for Chronically ill
Children. St Joseph’s is a step-down facility for tertiary
hospitals like the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s
Hospital. It was a profound move for me as I was able to
work with children who inspired me.”
“The children at St Joseph’s are from impoverished
communities and some have been abandoned by parents
who should have been there to provide the love, care and
guidance that every child needs. St Joseph’s not only
provided an environment that provided excellent medical
support, but they also ensured that children were taken to
the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital for doctor
appointments and that they were able to attend school and
play in an environment filled with love and care.”