KZN Childrens Hospital Trust

The KwaZulu-Natal Children’s Hospital, Africa’s first dedicated children’s hospital, was built in 1928 and opened in 1931. It served children until 1984, when the apartheid government closed it down for treating children of colour. Since 2011, the KwaZulu-Natal Children’s Hospital Trust has led this restoration in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health. Completed facilities such as the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Centre and Psychology Centre now provide specialised care for thousands of children with cerebral palsy, autism and other neurodiverse conditions. These upgrades form part of a broader vision to transform the hospital into a Centre of Excellence for neurodevelopmental and mental health services. The need for child and adolescent mental health services in KwaZulu-Natal is critical. Nine in ten children with a mental health condition go untreated. There is currently only one public sector adolescent mental health unit with eight beds – and none for younger ...