ISTH celebrates World Prematurity Day

The Neonatal Unit under the Department of Paediatrics of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo state, set aside November 20, 2024, to celebrate World Prematurity Day. The World Prematurity Day was officially marked worldwide on the 17th of November, 2024 which was a Sunday (a weekend day which usually witnesses low turnout of activities […]

The Neonatal Unit under the Department of Paediatrics of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo state, set aside November 20, 2024, to celebrate World Prematurity Day.

The World Prematurity Day was officially marked worldwide on the 17th of November, 2024 which was a Sunday (a weekend day which usually witnesses low turnout of activities in Hospitals in Nigeria).

In a statement, Dr Andrew Eigbedion, Consultant Neonatologist, SCBU Inborn Unit, ISTH, said it was for this reason the Neonatal Unit chose an official working day where there will be maximum participation by all the relevant Stakeholders.

The activities marking the celebration kicked off at exactly 8.30am with a road Walk which took off from the Paediatrics Seminar Room to the ISTH Administrative Block, through to the Obstetrics & Gynaecology Complex which houses the Special Care Baby Unit (Inborn), the O & G Seminar room, through to the Special Care Baby Unit (Outborn), the Children Emergency Room (CHER) and eventually rounded up back to the Paediatrics Seminar Room.

The road-walk was to raise awareness about the challenges of Preterms and to emphasize the strategic contribution of the Neonatal Unit of ISTH in care of Preterms and other Neonatal issues.

While at the ISTH Administrative Block, the entourage which was made up of Medical Consultants, Resident Doctors, Nurses, Private Medical Practitioners, Mothers whose Babies were cared for at the Special Care Baby Units, Administrative Members of ISTH, Medical Students of the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma offered a brief Health talk on the importance of Antenatal care, the supremacy of exclusive breast feeding and other important health tips to their audience which was made up of Patients, patient relatives and other members of the public.

Receiving the delegation at the Hospital Administrative Block was the Chief Host of the occasion and Chief Medical Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Prof Reuben Eifediyi who was ably represented by Dr Olukunle Obagaye, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) in the company of one of the Deputy CMACs, Dr Ehi Eighemhenrio and other Management Staff. Dr Obagaye expressed his satisfaction and pleasure with the Neonatal Unit of ISTH for rightly marking the World Prematurity Day.

He promised on behalf of Management that more Baby Incubators would be procured to cater for Preterms in the Hospital before the end of 2024 to boost the efforts of the Neonatal Unit. He also informed the gathering that it is part of the short/medium term plans of the Management that a dedicated all-embracing Neonatal Complex will be built in ISTH in no distant time.

Receiving the delegation back to the Paediatrics Unit at about 10am after the road-walk, Dr Andrew Eigbedion, Convener of the programme and Head of the SCBU Inborn Unit extended the compliments of Dr Sylvester Alikah and Dr Mrs Lilian Akerele also Consultants in the Neonatal Unit and other members of the Neonatal Unit to the audience.

While welcoming all the participants again, he highlighted the theme of the World Prematurity Day celebration this year which is “providing access to quality care everywhere” and noted that ISTH as an Institution was already delivering on this mandate.

A series of Lectures on an overview of Prematurity, Kangaroo Mother Care and Nutritional support of the vulnerable followed and were delivered by Dr Chiemaka Ogbonnaya & Matron Juliet Ogbeide of ISTH and Pharmacist Augustine Odiase of Danone Nutricia respectively.

Some of the invited Mothers of Preterms who were successfully managed at ISTH also shared their experiences in caring for their Preterms. They acknowledged the positive impact of the Neonatal Unit at ISTH and also counselled the gathering that a well coordinated Antenatal care programme is key to reducing the incidence of Prematurity to the barest minimum.

Dr Elijah Adetunji, HOD of Paediatrics at ISTH; Dr Henrietta Ugbeni, Senior Registrar in Paediatrics, ISTH; Dr Enaholo Festy Odimo Udegbe, a renowned Private Practitioner in Uromi; Dr Mrs Ada Owobu, Co-ordinator CHER, ISTH; Dr Mike Ogbogu, Consultant Paediatrician CHER, ISTH; Dr Seun Yaya, Consultant Obstetrician ISTH; Dr William Akerele, a Paediatric Surgeon & Chairman Edo Central NMA; Matron Agatha Okogie HOD Nursing Services ISTH; Matrons Isuekebhor and Eremen both of ISTH; Dr Angela Odike, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist; Matron Anavberokhai, Matron-in-charge SCBU Outborn Unit, amongst a host of other participants that gave their goodwill messages.

The occasion was rounded up with the cutting of a celebratory cake and taking of group photographs and refreshments concluded the activities marking the World Prematurity Day in ISTH.