Counties Manukau District Health Board is one of the largest and fastest growing District Health Boards servicing to over half a million people. Counties Manukau has the highest number of children in New Zealand at 122,000 with 45% living in areas of high socio-economic deprivation.
Last year Kidz First saw 28,000 children through Kidz First’s Emergency Department and 7,000 through the Kidz First Children’s Hospital. There were 8,000 births and 800 of those newborns spent time in the Kidz First’s Neonatal Care Unit.
The Neonatal Care unit provides intensive care and special care services. This is predominantly to the Counties Manukau region, however extra capacity is provided during peak demand times to allow for national overflow.
Countdown Kid’s Hospital Appeal is fundraising for two Nicolet EEG monitors for Kidz First’s Neonatal Care Unit. Nicolet EEG monitors are currently the leading solution for intensive care brain monitoring as they continuously monitor brain activity in infants who are at risk of brain damage.
Pre-term neonates suffering from brain trauma require close neurologic monitoring and early intervention to prevent secondary injury. The monitors allow for better diagnosis and better long term outcomes. Features such as the small size, touch screen interface and fast set up time allow for faster treatment which increases the survival rate and quality of life outcomes of neonates.