Clinical activities | Teaching and training  | Research  | Timetable 

Staff

Consultants: Dr Alvin Ndondo Alvin.Ndondo@uct.ac.za
  Dr Gill Riordan (5/8) Gill.Riordan@uct.ac.za
     
Senior Registrars: Dr Thabo Bisiwe (yr 2) thabo.bisiwe@gmail.com
  Dr Ali Nasreldien (yr 2) alielsir129@gmail.com
  Dr Fikile Ngqotso (yr 1) fikiscish@gmail.com
  Dr Faith Mosha (yr 1) drfaithmosha@gmail.com
  Dr Gwen Kandawasvika (yr 1) gwenkandawasvika@gmail.com
     
Sessional Staff: Dr Wendy Mathiassen (1 session)
  Dr Marie Wessels (2 sessions)
  Sharika Raga (PhD neuromuscular service)
     
Neuropsychology 
(1 session):		 Susan Malcolm-Smith  
  Natalia Ing  
     
Clinical Neuropsychology
Technologists:		 Helishia Dirks Helishia.Dirks@westerncape.
gov.za
  Veena Kander Veena.Kander@uct.ac.za
     
Nursing Support: Sr Sonday  
  Nurse van Rensburg  
     
Clerks:    
Neurology Noxolo Mdashe Noxolo.Mdashe@westerncape.gov.za
Neurophysiology Keitumetse Kojane Keitumetse.Kojane@westerncape.gov.za


Location:
Clinics S27, 1st Floor, MOPD
Neurophysiology S25, 1st floor, OPD
Wards E2, 5th Floor, RXH

Patients Referral Guidelines: 
Ideally from paediatricians - faxed referral accepted, telephone consultations for doctors can be arranged via the neurology clerk (021) 658-5434.
 

Contact Numbers CLINIC BOOKINGS 021-658-5434
 

NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

 021-658-5289
 

WARD E2

 021-658-5053
 

FAX

 021-658-5548


Clinical Activities

Paediatric Neurology Department

Outreach service operates with regional specialist visits for both training and case assessment.

The service assists with establishing government guidelines aimed towards optimal care in a resource poor setting.

  • Red Cross Children’s Hospital is the largest children’s hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa. It provides all levels of multidisciplinary care at an international level whilst taking in to account the limitations of being located in a resource poor country.
  • The neurology service sees rare and complex diseases (epilepsy, neurometabolic, neurodegenerative, neuromuscular disorders).
  • The vision and mission of the neurology service is directed specifically towards the impact from diseases of poverty, which dominate the service load, i.e.
    • tuberculosis
    • human immunodeficiency virus type 1
    • Post-streptococcal sequel.
  • The neurology service is directed towards building and expanding capacity to manage both complex disorders and the neglected diseases of poverty from vulnerable populations.
  • Dedicated clinics have established large cohorts of children from the Sub-Saharan African population
    • neuromuscular disease n=500
    • epilepsy n=3200
    • neurocutaneous disorders n=200
  • Ongoing support of the infectious diseases service has resulted epidemiological data relating to the neurological impact of HIV-1 in childhood before and once commencing antiretroviral therapy.
  • The complex epilepsy service inclusive of the clinical review also incorporates video EEG telemetry assessment and work-ups for potential epilepsy surgical candidates.
  • The service operates in the region of 80 clinics a month, with almost 4000 clinic visits a year.
  • There are 6 dedicated paediatric neurology beds but many more patients are managed on the “general wards” on a referral / advisory basis.

Neurophysiology Department

  • The only centre dedicated to children in sub-Saharan Africa.
  • The centre trains clinical neurophysiology technologists.
  • Also exposes practitioners from throughout the country who require insight into neurophysiology techniques, procedures and interpretation.
  • Over 2000 studies performed a year
  • It is the only government centre equipped to perform video EEG telemetry on children and as such screen them for epilepsy surgery

Southern African Training Centre

  • Leading training centre in South Africa for paediatric neurology training.
  • The post follows international training guidelines.
  • To date 16 trainees fully completed training (now in consultant posts), five more currently in training due to complete over 2022-2023.
  • The team regard training as an essential way to improve care to children with neurological conditions – we are keen to set up links with other centres throughout Africa and offer training experiences either through attachments to our department or through invited training workshops via the African Paediatric Fellowship Program.

Teaching and training

Undergraduate teaching:

Staff members contribute to weekly bedside teaching of 5th year medical students and seminars every 8 weeks to the whole group of students assigned to Paediatrics. Ward rounds are used to educate 5th and 6th year students.

Postgraduate teaching: 

The unit conducts regular seminars for paediatric registrars and contributes to the Wednesday morning academic meeting of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health. Ward rounds are used to educate senior house officers and paediatric registrars.

The Neurology unit at RCWMCH is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa as a training unit for paediatric Neurology sub-specialists. Trainees register with the University of Cape Town for this two-year course. Trainees must complete the exit examination set by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa, a requirement for registering as a Neurologist sub-specialist in South Africa. Prof Jo Wilmshurst is the convenor of the training programme at Red Cross Children’s Hospital.  For a more comprehensive description of the training programme please visit the African Paediatric Fellowship Programme Curriculum page. 

Research

Research projects are encouraged and the supervisors will facilitate this.

Neurology Unit Timetable

Day Time Description Venue
       
Monday 08:30 General Neuro/ Neurometabolic Clinic S27
  12:00 E2 Ward Round  
  12:45 Neurodev Multidisciplinary  
  13:00 Meeting S6
  13:30 EEG Meeting S25
  14:00 Neurophysiology  
  15:00 NCS/EMG S25
       
Tuesday 07:30 Neuroradiology Meeting B3
  08:30 Neuromuscular Clinic S27
  08:30 General Neurology Clinics S27
  12:00 E2 Ward Meeting  
  13:00 Journal Club/Research meetings S25
  14:00 General Neurology Clinic  
       
Wednesday 08:00 Department Clinical Meeting D3
  09:00 Neurology Grand Round E2
  09:00 Neurodevelopment Clinics S6
  13:00 Epilepsy Clinic S27
  14.00 EEG telem reporting S25
  15:30 Epilepsy Handover/Epilepsy surgery meeting     S25
       
Thursday 08:30 Behavior Clinic/Gen Neuro/
Neuro/HIV Clinic		 S27
  11:00 E2 Ward Round E2
  13:00 Neurology Research Meeting S25
  14:00 Student Teaching E2
       
Friday 08.30 Neurocutaneous Clinic
Neuro, NeuroSurg, Neurodev Clinic		  
  08:30 General Neurology Clinic  
  12:00 Case Presentations D3
  13:00 Pathology Meeting 1:4 3rd Floor, ICH