Vison
To promote and provide compassionate care to children with life threatening and life limiting illnesses
Mission
We bring compassion, dignity, relevant care and relief from discomfort and pain to children diagnosed with a
life threatening or life limiting illness within KZN. We do this through direct patient care, mentorship, empowerment of
caregivers, training and advocacy.
We offer a number of services under the umbrella of palliative care:
- Advice on the control of pain and other symptoms
- Teaching & training of health care professionals
- Compassionate care for children with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions
- Counselling for children and families
- Age-appropriate disclosure counselling
- Home visits and assessments
- Support through bereavement
Umduduzi treats children as people, not just as patients, and seeks to ensure that children
with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions receive the best possible care and comfort.
Basic Child Health Training
Umduduzi runs a 5 day training course in Basic Child Health Care. This covers: early identification
of illness, home based care, accident prevention, baby and child CPR, access to and understanding of
the health care system, patient rights and support for sick children and their families. Through early
identification, life-limiting and/or life- threatening illnesses can be avoided altogether or at the very
least, managed more effectively.
The course is offered to all people caring for children either in crèches, children’s homes or community based organisations.
In addition to this a parenting skills training has been developed to assist child & youth care- workers in providing guidance,
discipline and support to the children in their care.
Play Programme:
Play is an integral part of healing. A structured play programme takes place daily at Clairwood Hospital for all the children in the ward.
This is facilitated by a play co-ordinator.
Board of Directors:
Ms Chantele Nymphe, Prof Miriam Adhikari, Ms Sue Boucher, Ms Edwina Fleming, Ms Sandy Naidoo, Mr Sibusiso Gumede & Ms Thuli Mdletshe