The Charles A. Janeway Child Health Centre opened 9 August 1966 in a former American World War II hospital. It became the referral centre for children in the province of Newfoundland.

Before Confederation in 1949, Newfoundland was a colony of Great Britain. The child healthcare was poor, the population was low (<500,000) and most of the people lived in isolated communities working in the cod fishery. The quality of life was meagre and infant and child mortality was high. In the 20^th century, Newfoundland kept statistics of deaths, births, and serious infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis. The extreme isolation, poverty, and lack of resources, despite government efforts to affect change, did not occur until after confederation.

In the early years after confederation, Newfoundland government, physicians, and its people realized the need for the development of child health. One physician, a pediatrician, Dr. Clifton Joy, envisioned a freestanding pediatric health care centre in St. John’s at the old American Base Hospital in St. John’s. This received little support from neither the Government nor the Medical Association.

In those early years after confederation, new hospitals and a medical school were built, there was a modern public health system, and schools were expanded and became compulsory. There were new inventions, vaccines, antibiotics, diagnostic tests in the laboratory, and equipment in the Diagnostic Imaging Department; however, the most important factor was the increase of employment and relief for the destitute poor, which improved health care indirectly.

Dr. Joy eventually became a Member of the House of Assembly for Harbour Main. He lobbied Canadian Chairs of Pediatrics and the famous Dr. Charles A. Janeway, who was the Chair of Pediatrics in Boston. Dr. Janeway eventually came to Newfoundland and met with the Premier – who wanted to use the American Base Hospital for a Rehabilitation hospital. The building itself, on the easter fringe of the City of St. John’s, required extensive reconstruction and was inadequate for a children’s hospital. The opposition for building a stand-alone child health centre in the mid-60’s was many, including the NMA, the government, and even some physicians. Newfoundland was a poor province who had major transportation issues and a failing industry – the fishery.

Dr. Janeway, Dr. Joy, and Dr. Collins met with Mr. Smallwood, the Premier, and asked to use the American Hospital as a stand-alone child health centre. He acceded. When the Janeway opened in 1966, there was surgery and medical wards with a pediatric intensive care unit. There was a neonatal ward but no separate neonatal ICU. There were operating units and patients went to the Pediatric ICU for recovery.

There was a psychiatry inpatient unit and clinics for outpatients. The hospital had an emergency room just for children. Important developments were made in the ICU when babies were admitted for non-surgical conditions, respiratory distress syndrome, and prematurity. There was a team that facilitated patient transfers from other communities throughout the province.

The Janeway Hospital was able to recruit highly trained, gifted, and dedicated staff who provided excellent care in pediatric surgery, nursing, and allied health. The Centre participated and collaborated on independent research.

The Janeway Foundation and government provided funds to improve the Janeway site and buy new equipment. In the years after 1966, there were dramatic discoveries, equipment in radiology, pediatrics, and surgery, including ultrasound, CT scans, and microscopic surgery.

Late in the 20^th century it was decided to build a new, modern child health care centre attached to the Health Sciences Centre, the Medical School, and the MUN School of Nursing. In the new Janeway there was complete coverage for primary, secondary, and tertiary neonatology.

Moving to the HSC site allowed greater participation and consultation with other disciplines as well as sharing diagnostic equipment.

The concept of a stand-alone pediatric health centre in St. John’s 16 years after confederation was an impossible dream. But the Janeway Hospital became a fully accredited hospital that was highly respected for its teaching, patient care, and outreach to local programs.

Today the Janeway Child Heath Centre is a fully certified Pediatric Health Centre. There is a strong association with the Medical School and MUN Nursing School. Dr. Joy’s vision of a freestanding Pediatric Health Care Centre paid off.