CARE CHAIRS FOR MOMS AT DORA NGINZA, SOUTH AFRICA

"Maternity services were kept from collapsing by six doctors at Dora Nginza Hospital on Wednesday as nurses and general assistants refused to work in areas where Covid-19 patients or infected health workers had been. As workers stayed away, doctors were washing floors, patients were giving birth in the passage and a woman died as doctors desperately tried to help her without any nurses.” (Dailymaverick June 24, 2020)

Covid is wreaking havoc around the globe, but particularly in areas where medical resources are already scarce. COVID-related fear, absenteeism and illness amongst healthcare workers has resulted in even fewer doctors and nurses being available to care for sick and small newborns in the Neonatal Unit at Dora Nginza Hospital, a service which is already stretched and understaffed. This balanced with an influx of newly born patients admitted to the unit as surrounding services shut down due to COVID.

Mothers and babies are dying. As healthcare workers, our hearts are breaking while at the same time stress, anxiety and burnout sit like a black dog on our tired shoulders. The only possibility of supporting our patients is to turn to their mothers as carer, nurturer, supporter and giver of life.....the ultimate caregiver.

In an effort to support our sick and small newborns we are advocating for mothers to "room in" with their babies. To sleep next to them so that they can hold, feed, clean, nurture and care for their vulnerable infants at a time when no one else can. Currently there is only a cold floor next to each crib or incubator, in the middle of one of the coldest winters South Africa has ever seen.

Our goal is to raise money to purchase 24 sleeper chairs to support these fragile moms and their babies, many of whom are COVID positive themselves, so that they can be there for their infants in these desperate times. Imagine that a simple chair can give a tiny baby a better start in life.

EVERY CONTRIBUTION WILL QUITE LITERALLY CHANGE A LIFE! 100% OF DONATIONS GO TO THIS INITIATIVE.