South Africa is one of only 12 countries in the world where child mortality is increasing, rather than decreasing. More than 40 percent of these deaths occur within the first month of life, indicating that hospital care may not always be what it should. But the Carte Blanche Making a Difference Campaign is trying to change the paediatric units of several State hospitals. In October 2011, the first campaign award ceremony was held to acknowledge those who’ve helped us put children first.
Producer: Esté de Klerk
Date: 17 October 2011
Seventy-five thousand children under the age of five die in this country every year, making South Africa one of only 12 countries in the world where child mortality is increasing, rather than decreasing.
More than 40 percent of these deaths occur within the first month of life and more than 70 percent in the first year.
The United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal is to reduce the number of deaths to 20 out of every 1 000 live births by 2015. And South Africa is seriously behind target, says the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
Dr Aaron Motsoaledi (Minister of Health): "Twelve countries failed dismally to make a difference and that South Africa is one of those countries, it puts me to great shame and it pains me for being a South African because I know we can do better."
Carte Blanche has highlighted the infant mortality rate in several stories over the years. We have done stories at two of the worst affected hospitals in the Eastern Cape - Frere Hospital in East London and Dora Nginza in Port Elizabeth.
[Carte Blanche August 2006] (At Dora Nginza Hospital) Chrissie Botha: "I said: 'No.' She said: 'Chrissie, sorry, but your child died last night.'"
[Carte Blanche August 2006] The nightmare was about to get worse. Although they'd never even seen their child, Chrissie and Winston were told to go and identify him at the hospital mortuary. The family was shown a drawer full of dead babies and then a sight that will haunt them forever.
[Carte Blanche August 2006] Chrissie: "Then I saw the child on the dustbin... on the lid of the dustbin."
[Carte Blanche August 2006] Two years on at Dora Nginza it's business as usual. Carte Blanche requested permission to film here officially and for management to take us on a guided tour. Our request was turned down. But earlier we had visited the maternity section under cover. We found lethargic staff curiously inured to the deafening wails of unattended women in labour.
[Carte Blanche October 2006] (Frere Hospital) Our investigations also revealed that behind these three curtained off cubicles at Frere Hospital patients have been lying dead and unattended for at least four hours. The nurse and student nurse on duty for 30 beds are off for lunch.
When Carte Blanche turned 20 in 2008, we decided to try to help save children's lives through upgrading and re-equipping the paediatric wards of major State hospitals. Dora Nginza and Frere were on our list, but they declined our assistance. So, the Carte Blanche Making a Difference Campaign was launched without two of the hospitals that needed help most.
Dr Motsoaledi: "That should not ever have been allowed to happen. Nobody owns our public hospitals - they belong to South Africans and the call to work together to improve them is a call to all South Africans."
But since then, we used the millions donated by our sponsors to buy equipment for six other hospitals and better the lives of kids attached to two major charities.
Last week, Carte Blanche held its first ever Making a Difference gala and awards event. It was held at Randlords in Braamfontein, Johannesburg from where we normally broadcast.
With the donations of our generous sponsors we've already quadrupled the initial target of raising R20-million.
George Mazarakis (Executive producer: Carte Blanche): "It is our tremendous pleasure to have you all with us tonight and to have this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for having given us your trust, for allowing us to spend your money, and for making a difference in the lives of the future of South Africa - the children."
Dr Motsoaledi: "Apart from the difference that has been made to the children themselves, quite often people speak ill of the treatment they receive from health workers. But I have learnt that when the environment in which they are working gets improved, they just change overnight. This has happened in all the areas where Carte Blanche made a very big difference."
The Minister also referred to the difference the new equipment made at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in the life of baby Ashleigh, who was born with her heart outside her chest.
Dr Motsoaledi: "If that baby was born five months previously, that would not have been done at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Five months previously was a time when Carte Blanche came up with that programme there - I wish to thank you very much for that."
The aim of our gala awards event was to acknowledge outstanding service and dedication from selfless individuals who have been part of our campaign for the last three years.
-Sister Salamina Zulu from the Steve Biko Academic Hospital;
- Matron Dee McNeice from the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital;
- From Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital: Sister Christine Nokulunga and Sister Cynthia Boitumelo;
- Dr Pieter Jooste from the Kimberley Hospital;
- From the King Edward VIII Hospital: Dr Shashi Ramji , Professor Miriam Adhikari and Ottilia Thobile Ngwenya;
- Hellen Mahlase from the Hartebeespoort Parent and Child Counselling Centre; and
- Phineas Phiti from Othendweni Family Care Centre
- A ward award was given to the nurses and staff of Paediatrics in the Kimberley Hospital Complex and was received by the CEO, Gordon Moncho.
- The overall Carte Blanche Making a Difference Campaign award was given to Prof Peter Beale of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Wits Medical School for his fearless example and commitment to his surgical patients and for his guidance in the unfolding of the campaign.
- And Dawn Leppan of the 1000 Hills Community Helpers in the Valley of a Thousand Hills in KwaZulu-Natal for her selfless dedication to this charity. She feeds 1 200 people two meals per day and has done this for the past 28 years. And there was more good news for her.
George: "So, KFC has very kindly, yet again, donated R1 590 000 to Dawn Leppan's 1000 Hills Helpers at the Valley of a Thousand Hills at Ngchanga."
More magic was added to Othandweni Family Care Centre - an orphanage in Soweto run by Johannesburg Child Welfare. In 2009, its child cottages were refurbished and they got a bus to ferry kids to school. Brown's Jewellers has now donated a further million to build a home to teach the older children life skills.
Life skills are also being furthered at Masibambisane, an after-care centre for 400 children. The kitchen has been refurbished and a bakery built.
George Kanonis (Tri-Star Catering Equipment): "The centre has the ability and the means now to become self-sufficient... to slowly, slowly start producing and making their own products, selling them."
The biggest news of the evening was that the Trust has decided to renew its offer to take on the two Eastern Cape hospitals - Dora Nginza and Frere - and they have accepted. The Campaign now has a total of eight hospitals under its wing.
George: "We have reached that magical number of R80-million; it is wonderful to have got there from twenty. And it is mad that it got to 80... I think I am going to stick my neck out now and say that we are not going to rest until we reach a hundred. Please help us to do what you can, where you are, with what you have."
Because the magic of our Making a Difference Campaign is only possible with the help of the generous and socially responsible.