Expert calls for improved critical care for preterm babies

Co-Founder of Babies Matter Medical Centre (BMMC), Dr Efunbo Dosekun, a subsidiary of Outreach Signature Hospitals in Lagos, has called for more collaboration to ensure improved critical care for preterm babies.

Dosekun, a Paediatrician and Neonatologist, made the call in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), during a graduation party for two babies born at 25 weeks, and weighed 650g and 700g respectively.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Preterm are babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed and there are sub-categories of preterm birth, based on gestational age, extremely preterm babies are born less than 28 weeks, very preterm babies are born within 28 to less than 32 weeks while the moderate to late preterm are born within 32 to 37 weeks.

Dosekun said, “What you do in the first ten minutes in the life of a preterm baby will determine their survival and prevent the baby from having disability.

“Caring for these babies is something that should be taken seriously, and understanding what I call, the physiology of these babies, is very important so we don’t make the world a worse place.

“This is where the partnership or joint work comes to play among the obstetrics, paediatrics neonatologists and trained neonatal nurses.

“If you are half-baked, you can’t care for these babies properly. That is why we have a whole barrage of disabled children in our teaching hospitals in the country, which is a public health issue.

“Neonatology is a specialty that has to be stratified. There must be those who can look after babies with mild problems, babies who have moderate and experts who can look after those with severe issues.”

Dosekun, who is also the Founder, Outreach Group of Hospitals, said the two preterm babies of Mr and Mrs Kunle Adeosun, who presently weigh 2.18kg and 2.10kg respectively, were properly cared for in the BMMC for over 14 weeks.

According to her, outreach group of hospitals has saved 260,000 children, out if which 2,600 are newborns and 600 preterm babies.

She explained that the BMMC is an integrated advanced specialist centre that offered world class neonatal services with best results for all newborns who needs immediate and compassionate care.

Speaking also, Dr Zanaib Mudashiru, the co-Founder of BMMC and the Clinical Lead said the centre investment in advanced technology and human capacity had helped in rendering critical care to extreme preterm babes.

Mudashiru, a UK trained paediatric and neonatology practitioner,  said the Adeosun twins were able to survive against all odds due to the team work and dedication of the BMMC staff and the steadfastness of the parents.

“Here in BMMC, we invested in  technology to help these premature babies, especially the extremely preterm.

“One good thing about this, is that none of these babies was ventilated because we have advanced technology that assisted with their breathing and this is unbelievable

“The whole process of caring for them was not an easy task because of some other limitations that have nothing to do with technology, but we’re all determined as a team.

“All the vital functions of the babies are perfectly okay and we have educated the parents on  how well to care for the babies as they leave the hospital.”

The parents of the twins ,who were overwhelmed with joy, thanked God Almighty and the BMMC team for their professionalism and dedication.

The Mother, Mrs Tolulope Adeosun, also appreciated NEM Health, a health maintenance organisation (HMO), for ensuring her babies had unhindered access to all the care they needed.

“We have been married for 18 years and we are grateful to God that we are finally going home with Ayanifeoluwa and Araifeoluwa, after spending over 14 weeks at BMMC.

“We will never forget BMMC and NEH health for ensuring that our babies are alive and also in good condition,” she said.