Cape Town - For American actor Texas Battle a tour through the Groote Schuur Hospital’s neonatal unit wasn’t a philanthropic visit, it was personal. Battle, 33, was a premature baby.
“My mom tried to conceive three times without holding on, but I held on and I wanted to come out. She told me my dad, he had big hands, held me in one hand. Now I’m six foot two (1.88m) and 210 pounds (95kg), I play football.”
Battle, better known as Marcus Forrester in the soapie The Bold and the Beautiful, and former Survivor South Africa contestant Genavieve Alkana, 30, visited the unit on Tuesday.
The neonatal unit is raising awareness for its Little by Little Refurbishment campaign.
The goal is to raise R26.3-million by 2017 to fund expansion.
Battle chatted to nurses and patients’ parents while Shukri Raban, a neonatal consultant, spoke about the intensive care units. He is in the midst of starting the Texas Battle Foundation which will support children from Langa in the arts.
“I love kids and I want kids of my own,” said Battle. “And I want to get involved in this issue in South Africa where there are real needs and I can do something about it.”
The neonatal unit treats about 2 000 premature babies a year and 10 percent of those weigh less than 1 000g. The average bed occupancy rate is 120 percent. Ideal occupancy hovers at about 80 percent. The risk of infection and illness among premature babies increases with occupancy. However, Groote Schuur boasts an 80 percent survival rate.
Julie Gibson, the trust manager of the Newborns campaign, cites limited funds as the unit’s biggest obstacle.
“The hospital has given us space to expand our unit, but we just don’t have the funding. And it’s a catch-22 because there are hospitals without basic primary care, and how can we say we need more when they have nothing?” Gibson said.
In addition to a shortage of beds, equipment is expensive. Ventilators cost about R500 000 while ultrasounds are closer to R600 000. The unit also needs more staff. An ideal ratio for intensive care units is 1:1 or 1:2 nurse to patient. Groote Schuur operates on a 1:4 ratio.
Gibson hopes that fundraising events, such as World Prematurity Day on November 17 and support from public faces such as rugby player Scarra Ntubeni, will turn premature baby care into a priority.
“Unless you’re personally involved, there is very little knowledge of what this issue is about,” said Gibson. “People need to be aware of it – that what we’re trying to do is save babies’ lives.” - Cape Argus