By WILLIAMS JIMOH

NO less than 200 preterm babies have been cared for and restored to full health at the Outreach Children Hospital, Lagos.  Disclosing this during the nation’s 53rd Independence Day anniversary, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Efunbo Dosekun, said many of the babies were in critical state when brought in.   Every year, thousands of premature babies die due to lack of equipment notably incubators.

“We are celebrating the lives of these premature babies becasue we feel that celebrating them on  Independence day is worth it because, saving their lives is an achievement. We want to remember and make them realise they indeed remembered and cared for.”

Outreach Children Hospital is a paediatric, neonatal and maternal medical service provider with keen interest in other areas of medical value such as continuous professional development, medical equipment supplies and research.

“In 39 months, we have received  18,000 children,  from General Hospitals and private hospitals and others who just walked in on their own. The greatest challenge we had was that out of the 600 children from the General Hospitals, we were able to save 430 because 170 died before they got to the hospital. Fewer deaths were recorded from the   other 17,400 children because they arrived the hospital in time,” she noted

Dosekun pointed out that efforts were in place to set up another Centre in Badagry and Agege. “This is because timely intervention is very important. Babies have different health issues. Some do not breathe well or may have jaundice, so timely and prompt response is needed for them to be alive.”  Once we see a severe case, the goal is to save the life. We  value life and  will continue to cater and do our own part to change the increasing rate of infant mortality in Lagos.”

She, however, called for development of a strong health system through innovative dissemination of health information.

Attributing severe health problem in infants to illiteracy rather than insufficient funding, she called for more enlightenment on prevention.