VITAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR SICK CHILDREN IN VICTORIA

Monash Health is Victoria’s largest public health service providing care to one-quarter of Melbourne’s population. Monash Health provides neonatal and paediatric care across four sites, Monash Children’s Hospital (Clayton), Sandringham Hospital, Dandenong Hospital and Casey Hospital.

Monash Children’s Hospital is the Victorian Referral Centre for many low-volume and high-complex cases and provides leading paediatric services in Rehabilitation, Oncology, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, and Palliative Care. The Children’s Hospital cares for more than 100,000 children and births 9,000 babies per year and is home to Victoria’s largest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

One in five babies require emergency medical intervention at birth and one in 11 babies are born pre-term (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2023).

At Monash Health, this equates to approximately 1,200 babies every year. What’s more, the nature of high-risk pregnancies at the Monash Clayton site means that this percentage is much higher, equating to an additional 500 babies.

To deliver the best possible care to their tiny patients, Monash Health is standardising its fleet of resuscitation cots. Currently, the hospital has a mixed fleet of three models in their services across the four sites, which is not ideal.

Modern advancements in resuscitation equipment mean the newer cots provide oxygen level monitoring, an improved heat source and the ability to provide humidified gas. Standardising the equipment will ensure that doctors and nurses can be trained consistently on its use, resulting in a better experience for the clinical teams, and better outcomes for tiny babies.

Monash Health are seeking support to replace and standardise their resuscitation equipment. If you are interested in donating one or all these pieces, or another piece of equipment, please click below to view Humpty’s Wish List.

CASEY HOSPITAL (2), DANDENONG HOSPITAL (4), CLAYTON HOSPITAL (1), JESSIE MCPHERSON HOSPITAL (1) AND SANDRINGHAM HOSPITAL (2)

PROJECT COST: $47,520 each or $475,200 total (10)