McCord Hospital Calls on the Building Industry to Join the Fight Against Cancer and HIV
 McCord Hospital has been bringing care, hope and excellent medical care to the Durban community for 102 years. In 2011 and the years to follow, McCord is determined to make a significant contribution to the fight against two of South Africa’s most pressing health burdens: cancer and HIV. To this end, the hospital has secured funding to provide patients with free circumcisions - a HIV-prevention procedure - and free colposcopies - a cervical cancer prevention procedure. They now need to raise funds to purchase 10 new hospital beds for the newly renovated Same Day Surgery Ward where these procedures will take place, and they’re calling on the building industry to help them.
The Same Day Surgery Ward
As a non-profit entity, McCord Hospital relies heavily on the support of donors to be able to keep medical care affordable to Durban’s people. Thanks to a generous donation from a South African Trust Fund in late 2010, McCord has recently opened a Same Day Surgery Ward. The Trust Fund donation funded new flooring and roofing, fresh paint, and structural renovations. For the first time ever in the hospital’s 102 year history, patients will benefit from over-head televisions and a nurse call systems in the Same Day Surgery Ward, making its launch an important milestone in McCord’s long and impressive history. However, the funding secured did not include provision for hospital beds, and the hospital now needs to raise funds for 10 new beds to house the Same Day Surgery Patients, in particular the circumcision and colposcopy patients.
 Circumcision in the fight again HIV:
Circumcision reduces HIV transmission by up to 60 percent, and is an important tool in the country’s HIV prevention strategy. McCord has funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to provide circumcision free of charge to males aged 16 and over. We plan to have circumcised 8,500 men by the end of 2011, making a significant contribution to HIV prevention in Durban’s communities.
Colposcopy in the fight against cancer:
Colposcopy is a medical diagnostic procedure that can prevent cervical cancer by detecting precancerous lesions early and treating them. Cervical cancer is rife amongst HIV-positive women. In Government hospitals, the waiting list for this procedure is up to 1 year. For many women, this is simply too long and women have been known to pass away whilst waiting for their colposcopy. McCord has funding from an American donor to provide 100 free colposcopies to needy women who urgently require the procedure.
The Beds:
We need to raise funds to purchase 10 new hospital beds for the Same Day Surgery ward. The new beds will improve McCord’s ability to provide top nursing care, as they can be moved up and down easily, and the head of the bed is also detachable, meaning that emergency resuscitation can be performed quickly and effectively. The other hospital beds at McCord are old and do not offer the features mentioned above. We are committed to supplying the Same Day Surgery Ward with state of the art hospital beds that will last for years into the future and provide the most comfort possible for patients and the best working conditions for medical staff.
One bed costs R13,000. By helping McCord to purchase new beds for the Same Day Surgery Ward, donors will be making an impactful contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS and cancer. If individuals, families, churches or business can assist, please contact donations@mccord.co.za or phone +27 31 268 5882. Donations can also be made via the website: www.mccord.org.za.
Olivia Brian | McCord Hospital |
