OUR 40th Anniversary - Healing Kids: The National Project
The Fuchs Foundation's National Flagship Project
In celebration of our 40th Anniversary, the Foundation announced the
launch of a national flagship project – Healing Kids – during the middle
of 2007. The project was designed with the overall goal of enhancing the
quality of paediatric health care provided to underprivileged children at
public hospitals in South Africa.
This initiative extended over a period of 36 months, culminating in the
Foundation's 40th Anniversary celebration during August 2009. A total
budget of R17.5 million was allocated to the project, rendering this the
largest single funding initiative ever undertaken by the Foundation. The
project consisted of two major elements.
Phase I
The first phase aimed at materially improving the care provided to
children when hospitalized, by assisting paediatric units at public tertiary
hospitals to mobilize the resources required by them in order to improve
the quality of their infant patient care and services.
This element promoted the establishment and capacity-building of
resource mobilization mechanisms, with the purpose of mobilizing
the required resources and equipment, establishing public-private
partnerships, creating access to increased funding and, ultimately,
facilitating sustainability for these units. The Phase I Fuchs investment
amounted to R7.5 million.
Phase II
The second phase aimed at making a contribution to reducing infant
mortality in South Africa. This element specifically targeted a reduction
in neonatal mortality rates of selected tertiary and secondary public
hospitals.
Here the Foundation's intervention process was based on the design,
development and replication of a funding model, aimed at promoting
centres of excellence at neonatal care units. The model mostly focused
on the implementation of relatively simple, low-cost technology measures.
The Phase II Fuchs investment amounted to R10.0 million.
Both phases of the Healing Kids national project were based on extensive
fact-finding undertakings and in-depth consultation with paediatric and
neonatal experts, nationally within the country.
