Preterm birth complications are the leading cause of death in children under the age of five worldwide. Over 15 million babies are estimated to be born before 37 weeks of gestation, with up to one million deaths. Surprisingly, cost-effective interventions could have prevented 75% of those deaths.
LittleBigSouls Ghana, a significant preterm charity in Ghana, has made the decision to allocate funds to enhancing paediatric healthcare in the nation. LittleBigSouls aimed to drastically lower infant mortality as the nation strove to meet the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by 2030.
The delegation, led by co-founder Edith Uyovbukerhi, recently travelled to Takoradi’s Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital to donate an incubator. They were greeted by Dr. Joseph Tambil, the hospital’s medical director, as well as some of the staff members from the paediatric department.
Dr. Joseph Kojo Tambil expressed gratitude for the incubator donation as well as the additional support given to the hospital to complete the Kangaroo Mother Care room makeover. He continued by saying that the hospital’s maternity unit would be renovated by the government during the next three years.
The hospital’s director of paediatrics, Dr. Nkansah, and Dr. Batsa, a paediatric doctor at the NICU received the incubator. Since there was only one functioning incubator at the hospital prior to LittleBigSouls Ghana’s donation on Thursday, November 10, the incubator will significantly help to improve the terrible situation of crucial equipment availability at the NICU.
On Friday, November 11, 2022, the LittleBigSouls Ghana team will finish their stay by remodelling the hospital’s Kangaroo Mother Care room. KMC is an affordable solution that has numerous advantages for the development of preemies. It increases the growth potential and survival chances of preterm infants.
The incubator contribution and KMC room refurbishment thrilled Mrs. Edith Uyovbukerhi, co-founder and executive director of LittleBigSouls Ghana. She said the organization wanted to do more and urged purpose-driven corporations in Ghana and elsewhere to work with LittleBigSouls for the greater good in order to save more preterm lives.
LittleBigSouls is promoting Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) during World Prematurity Day, providing equipment to Neonatal Intensive Care Units, and capping the month-long awareness campaign with a “Cause for Praise” event for premature children.
Follow LittleBigSoulsGhana on social media for activities and ways to support a cause, and visit www.littlebigsoulsghana.com for a calendar of events for the entire month.