Therapy and medical interventions

Improved access to therapy and medical interventions for each child

COST OF CHRONIC MEDS PER ANNUM

R 0

Programme overview

Most of the children have severe sensory and development issues and require occupational therapy (OT) for them to function in their environments, helping them to reach their full potential. The children have often spent months in hospital, either ill or abandoned, and as such have developmental delays of varying degrees. Intensive physiotherapy results in a marked improvement in their strength and mobility. As our children have compromised immune systems, they are prone to chest and bronchial infections resulting in bronchitis and pneumonia. We have pro bono doctors and a paediatrician who assist us when necessary. Play therapy is a vital therapeutic intervention for the children, assisting them in dealing with their traumatic past. The burdens of our young children are immense, and this support is essential to freeing them up to be the children they were born to be.

Compliance

As a registered CYCC, we must comply with health regulations and food and cooking regulations. To get a health certificate from the Department of Social Development, there are several other compliance certificates needed, such as gas, fire, glazing, and structural engineering, Every quarter, there are surprise inspections by the Department of Health.

What we do

01

Preventative medication
As caring for the numbers of children increases and multiplies on an annual basis, the health risks and illness and potential hospitalisation costs exponentially increase. The impact of this, if the children need hospitalisation, is that regardless of whether they receive private or public hospital care, an adult must be there on a 24-hour basis – which is untenable and unmanageable in a highly cost-controlled setting.

02

In addition, 80% of the children are immune compromised on arrival and it takes a very long time for them to build their stamina, strength, and resistance to illness. To mitigate the impact of future health risks, enormous time and financial resources are dedicated to preventative health care of the children. This includes nutritional and vitamin supplements and daily adherence charts and health monitoring.

03

Counselling sessions
Our social workers undertake one-on-one counselling and group sessions with the children when needed.
Clinic visits
The children are taken to the local Wendywood clinic for their health check-ups and vaccinations as per the Road to Health card.
Specialist and hospital visits

The chronic ailments and diseases at Hearts of Hope out of 52 children

kwashiorkor 3

Asthma 6

Eczema 4

Trauma induced anxiety 7

ADD 5

Autism 1

Lactose intolerant 3

HIV positive 2

Monthly Medical spend breakdown

DONOR

L's story

Last month, three siblings arrived at Hearts of Hope. Their mother had abandoned them with a neighbour. The children, aged 1, 3 and 5 (we think that is their ages, as there were no official papers with them) were chronically malnourished and anaemic. The older brother of 5 years old spent the first few days hoarding food in all his pockets for his siblings – a sure sign of the severity of their lack of regular nutrition and care.

Unfortunately, L was rushed to Sunninghill Hospital last Sunday with pneumonia which was exacerbated by the chronic anaemia. She just didn’t have the capacity to fight the infection.

Monitoring and evaluation

The therapy interventions received by each child are tracked by the Wellbi platform. The various therapists write and save their notes online which can then be accessed by the other therapists, providing a fuller picture of each child, which in turn assists them in customising their sessions and ensuring the best and most appropriate care is given.