With one of the new automated brain-cooling devices, from left, are SAMCT representative Faried Boltman, Mowbray Maternity Hospital CEO Janine Joemat, nursing specialist Josephine Jacobs and paediatrician Dr Max Kroon.
The South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) donated two automated-brain cooling devices to Mowbray Maternity Hospital on Wednesday August 11.
This equipment is valued at R767 000, and the head of the maternity hospital’s neonatal clinical services, Dr Natasha Rhoda, said it met an essential need.
“Given that Mowbray Maternity provides therapeutic hypothermia to many moderate and severe hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy cases in the province, modern automated equipment is essential to the hospital’s future efficient and effective management of babies with this condition.”
Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a condition where the brain does not receive enough oxygen or blood flow for a continuous period of time.
Dr Max Kroon, a paediatrician in the hospital’s neonatal service, said the hospital dealt with a range of neonatal challenges related to prematurity.
“Some near-term and term babies suffer birth asphyxia, with the potential to develop HIE, which can lead to death or significant brain damage with long-term life-course consequences for the affected infants and their families.”
The hospital had had to make do with using a low-tech, manual brain-cooling method, known as gel-bag cooling, he said.
“Gel-bag cooling, while shown to be effective, delivers less consistent temperature control than automated cooling devices which improve clinical management efficiency, quality of care and likely outcomes as well.”
Faried Boltman, from SAMCT, a Durban-based non-profit organisation, said: “Quality equipment costs dearly, but quality equipment must, be the prerequisite when equipping our country’s health facilities.”
Email mmh.enquiries@westerncape.gov.za for details on how you can support the hospital’s fund-raising efforts.