Minister Mchunu to launch and hand over standing boxes for children with cerebral palsy to Chris Hani Baragwanath
The Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Senzo Mchunu, will on 15 November 2019 officially launch the Standing Boxes Project and hand over standing boxes for utilization by children with cerebral palsy at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, as part of the Public Sector Innovation Awards programme and the marking of Disability Rights Month.
The Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI), an entity in the portfolio of the Minister identifies, supports and nurtures innovation in the public service, with a view to improving service delivery, and runs the Public Sector Innovation Awards programme. Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital was the overall winner last year for the innovative project of Standing Devices/Boxes for children with Cerebral Palsy, designed by physiotherapists at the hospital.
According to research, approximately 70% of all children with Cerebral Palsy can never learn to stand or walk on their own. Physiotherapists at Chris Hani-Bara decided to make it possible for affected children who cannot stand or walk on their own to be part of an “Early Standing Programme”, leading to the Standing Box Project which became the 2018 Public Sector Innovation Awards overall winner. To date 100 standing boxes have been issued free of charge to children from Soweto and surrounding areas.
The launch event will serve to encourage more innovation in the public sector which improves service delivery and people’s lives. It also marks Disability Rights Month which runs from 3 November to 3 December 2019, highlights the rights of disabled persons.
The CPSI is working in collaboration with the Department of Correctional Services to get the department to manufacture standing boxes through their rehabilitation programme in correctional facilities.
The details of the launch and handover are as follows:
Date: 15 November 2019
Time: 10h00
Venue: Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto
Enquiries:
Vukani Mbhele
Cell: 0765230085
