As the world marked World Prematurity Day, usually celebrated on November 17, the spotlight is on the AngloGold Ashanti Health Foundation’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, dubbed ‘the game changer in the treatment of children born preterm.’
Preterm babies are infants delivered before the 37th week of pregnancy. Such babies have low birth weight, difficulty regulating their body temperatures, and challenges with feeding and breathing (respiratory). They also face the risk of infections, hence requiring specialized care in the early stages of their lives.
Such newborns often need a special area of the hospital called the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to receive specialized care to overcome the various complications they may face. The NICU is equipped with advanced technology and trained healthcare professionals to provide special care for the tiniest of patients. NICUs may also care for babies who are not as sick but still require specialized nursing care.
Commissioned in 2022, the AGAHF’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has provided the needed hope of survival to hundreds of preterm babies born in Obuasi and its environs.
According to Dr. Kwadwo Anim, Executive Director of AGA Health Foundation, at a durbar to mark World Prematurity Day at the hospital, children born preterm at the hospital, who were previously referred to Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and other larger health facilities beyond Obuasi, have since reduced by over 90%. He mentioned in his speech that this reduction was a source of concern for the hospital and parents.
He stated that the hospital stepped up efforts to establish a well-equipped state-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, which has provided treatment to preterm babies since its commissioning last year. Beyond the reduction in referrals, the facility has helped alleviate the burden on institutions like Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital by receiving referrals from other sister facilities in the Adansi enclave and beyond, which had previously referred cases to Kumasi.
Touching on the theme for this year’s World Prematurity Day, “Small actions, BIG IMPACT,” Dr. Anim said it lends credence to the success story achieved by the hospital in successfully treating children born before the required delivery period. “The small actions, in his own words, refer to the roles played by the parents and health workers in the treatment and survival of preterm babies at the hospital.”
Providing accounts of the impact of the NICU in the treatment of preterm babies, Dr. Enoch Addo Sarkodie, Pediatrician at AGAHF, mentioned that last year, the Unit successfully managed 107 preterm babies, while 200 premature babies were treated this year alone.
He emphasized that due to the delicate nature of treating such children, there is a need to have a well-equipped NICU as well as trained and qualified health workers to provide the needed care. He added that with the addition of new equipment through the able support of the collaboration between the parent company AngloGold Ashanti Ghana Limited and GIZ, the Unit has been able to successfully care for premature babies with very low birth weight and severe complications. “This is what the AGAHF NICU, which is the first of its kind in Obuasi, provides. We have 14 cots, 3 incubators, 2 CPAP ventilators which were procured this year, and other complimentary equipment. So we hardly refer preterm babies these days.”
Dr. Sarkodie further revealed that the Hospital, in its quest to offer comprehensive care for such patients, has also established a Prematurity clinic where follow-ups are done to ensure that preterm babies do not develop any long-term health challenges.
During the event, parents of preterm babies shared their experiences of taking care of their preterm infants and expressed gratitude to the health staff at AGAHF’s NICU for their care and dedication, which had helped ensure that their children remained healthy.