The Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital has officially opened

The Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital which is flagship of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund was officially launched this past Friday – 2 December 2016.

The hospital's official opening comes three days before the third anniversary of the passing of former president Nelson Mandela whose wish has finally been fulfilled and it will start admitting its first patients early next year.
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CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children's fund Sibongile Mkhabela says R1.4 billion was raised to build the institution, ordinary South Africans also played a great part in donating to Madiba’s dream.

“We have fulfilled out promise to Tata Nelson Mandela. As an African I feel like going to the grave and say Tata it’s done. He dreamt of it because through it he propels us to the future he forces us to developed amazing capacity for research, for training of child specialists. He forces us to look in the eyes of a child and heal the hearts and not refer to America. He does what former president Mbeki called the African renaissance and this is the expression of that renaissance the rebirth of Africa,” Sibongile Mkhabela – CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has promised to continue giving the hospital support.“I want to stand here in front of you and tell you that you’ve got that support and will get it forever.”

Machel says many fought against the construction of a children’s hospital in his name, warning that it would be a facility for the elite.
She has thanked Health Minister Motsoaledi for making Madiba’s lifelong dream come true.
​“From the onset you’ve been a champion of the children’s hospital, we hope you will continue to mobilise your colleagues and that government to continue to support this initiative.”

Construction is complete but funding is still needed for the development and implementation of the crucial clinical programmes of this 200 bed state of art specialised hospital.

 “This hospital will strive to serve to change children’s lives the way that Nelson Mandela would have wanted.” - Sibongile Mkhabela