The Executive Director of Tiny Beating Hearts Initiatives (TBHI), Petra Akinti Onyegbule has described the death of 802,600 premature babies annually in Nigeria as unacceptable.
Onyegbule made this known during the sensitization program organized by Tiny Beating Hearts Initiative to mark this year’s World Prematurity Day at the Glass House, Kogi State Government House in Lokoja on Saturday.
She lamented that of the number of premature babies born in Nigeria, 89,000 of the preterm babies don’t survive, stressing that only concerted efforts from government and all stakeholders can help in reducing neonatal mortality.
Onyegbule, who is also the Chief Press Secretary to Kogi State Governor, attributed lack of necessary equipment for recurring neonatal deaths.
In her presentation, the guest speaker at the sensitization program, Dr Patricia Medupin called for the inclusion of care for premature babies into the nation’s National Health Policy.
Medupin, who spoke on the theme; ‘Working Together: Partnering With Families in The Care of Small and Sick Newborn’, added that lack of basic health infrastructure, supplies of drugs and cultural barriers are major identifiable barriers to the high death rate of premature babies in Nigeria.
She identified lack of political will on the part of government to bringing the issues of babies born prematurely, equipping health facilities with the right facilities as well as cultural and attitudinal problem as barriers to curbing death of babies born prematurely.
Dr. Medupin described the health givers and parents as primary in issues geared towards reducing neonatal mortality. She urged government to ensure adequate motivation, enabling environment, encouragement, primary care and psychological support for the primary stakeholders made up of the health workers and the parents of those affected.
According to Dr Medupin, Kogi State recorded 408 premature deliveries in 2014. She said out of the 115 babies born prematurely in 2016, the hospitals in the state could only save 73% of the babies.
The medical expert disclosed that preterm babies are twenty times more prone to death since they are not matured to survive outside their mothers womb. She pointed out that food, warmth and prevention from infection are important factors in saving premature babies’ lives.
She advocated the incorporation of family centred care as well as community based support for management of premature babies.
In a remarks at the occasion, Moses Okezie, Director General to the Kogi State Governor on Research and Documentation, lamented that government across Nigeria have not taken the issues of premature babies seriously.
He stated that Kogi State Government can no longer claim ignorance of the plight of premature babies, assuring that Governor Yahaya Bello is committed to providing necessary support aimed at reducing deaths of premature babies.
