Hospital Charity Organisation | Children's Hospital Trust

Paediatric Infectious Diseases Centre (PIDC)

Background:
The Centre for Childhood Infectious Diseases (CCID) will also include the Clinical Research Unit (CRU).  The CCID at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital currently provides comprehensive care for children with infectious diseases and is an accredited training facility for paediatricians in infectious diseases.  The CRU undertakes research in locally relevant infectious diseases of childhood. 

The CCID is an outpatient facility working primarily with stable patients, manages the most complex infectious disease problems including HIV and AIDS, drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), and infections due to multi-drug resistant bacteria. In addition they are also dealing with increasing cases of severe malaria as a result of migration from other parts of Africa. The CCID also focuses on the Hospital’s antibiotic policy, infection control policy and practice, and manages outbreaks of hospital-acquired and other infections.

The CRU supports all kinds of research, with over 50 researchers associated with them, but their work is predominantly infectious diseases focussed because of the burden these illnesses have on children.

Problem:
The absence of a dedicated space to accommodate the full range of the activities of these Units is problematic. Their various activities are interrelated but take place in different areas of the hospital, making integration, communication and ultimately patient care rather challenging. Current outpatient facilities are not conducive for optimal care of children with HIV, and not adequate for the rapidly growing clinical needs.

Solution:
The construction of a Centre for Childhood Infectious Diseases (CCID) will centralise the activities of the CCID, CRU, and the Occupational Health Staff Clinic (OHSC) that are currently being performed in various areas throughout the Hospital. The CCID building will provide increased space and better facilities for staff and patients reducing time in the clinic for children being treated, creating capacity for the CCID to see more patients, and the space for staff to receive care, education and counselling impacting positively on their work environment and patient relationships.

Budget:
Constructing this two storey building will cost R32.6 million which includes R1 million for equipment.

Timeline:
Construction of the CCID will commence in August 2012 and is due for final completion in August 2013.

For more information on this project please click here, or contact Philippa Douglas