MADWALENI AND ZITHULELE HOSPITALS, EASTERN CAPE
Madwaleni Hospital, near Elliotdale and about 2 ½ hours from Umtata (and four hours from East London) is situated in a deep, rural area. The children for this outreach visit came from two hospitals – Madwaleni and Zithulele – about 45 km apart and serving the same health district.

Jean Elphick, Madwaleni physiotherapist, was the main driver of this outreach to Madwaleni , supported by the rest of the rehabilitation team. For this outreach visit, we were based at Madwaleni Hospital although the children came from both Madwaleni and Zithulele Hospitals. The support of the whole management structure of Madwaleni Hospital was demonstrated through making hospital beds available for the caregivers and children for the entire week of the project; feeding the caregivers, children as well as all the therapists; ensuring that all the children arrived for the week and transporting the equipment to the children’s homes within one day of the project being completed. Kate Sheary, OT from Zithulele Hospital together with the hospital management team demonstrated similar support in the provision of transport for all the children from the Zithulele Hospital.

Local rehabilitation staff involved in the project:
Madwaleni Hospital
Jean Elphick (physiotherapist)
Jen Greenhough (occupational therapist)
Kerryn de Bruin (comm. serve physiotherapist)
Jess Theron (comm. serve occupational therapist)

Zithulele Hospital:
Kate Sheary (occupational therapist)
Shannon (comm. serv occupational therapist)
Four local volunteers from Madwaleni Hospital were interpreters for the week.

Children:
Thirty-five children were screened in January 2008 and 33 were considered suitable for the project, 16 from Madwaleni and 17 from Zithulele. The therapy intervention week took place from the 14 – 18 April 2008. Follow-up visits occur every six months.

Therapists who volunteered a week of their time to treat the children:
Eunice Konig (physiotherapist) and Marie Vorster (occupational therapist) from Cape Town
Katrin auf van der Heyde (physiotherapist) from Underberg;
Astrid Goehner (physiotherapist) from Umtata;
Cathy Pringle (speech therapist) from Queenstown;
Busi Mgolombane (physiotherapy assistant from Tafalofefe)
Anneline Vieira (physiotherapist), Natasha Taljaard-Roux ( occupational therapist),
Marion Prescott (physiotherapist), Gillian Saloojee and Sarah Booth (physiotherapist) – all from the Johannesburg area.

Non NDT trained volunteers:
Daniel Meyer, orthotist from Jeffries Bay
Tebogo Kgaswana (occupational therapist) from Swartruggens

Community service therapists from the surrounding hospitals:
Amanda (speech therapist); Janine Matthews (occupational therapist) and Megan Gilgan (physiotherapist)

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