Poor handling of premature babies accelerates their death

Poor handling of premature babies is a major factor in their death, according to a recent study.

The study, which was conducted by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), found that over 250,000 children are born prematurely in Tanzania every year, and approximately 9,500 of them die.

The study found that premature babies often have trouble fighting off germs because their immune systems aren't fully formed so they need special careless.

“Also infection may cause death in a premature baby also pneumonia or a lung infection, an infection in the fluid around the brain and spinal cord”

Dr. Kivuyo said a normal pregnancy take 36 weeks to born but at the developed countries, a premature baby of 26 weeks can survive but developing country like Tanzania 90 percent are die.

“That why we are here to train the babies’ doctors, nurses and all practitioners of premature babies to get the skill, simple way and new local technology of how to take care of premature babies in order to reduce the big number of death”

Event coordinator, American medical expert based in Arusha Lutheran Medical Center (ALMC) –Neonatal ICU, Dr Stephen Swanson said the training was conducted by experts from European Countries, the United States and South Africa.

Dr. Swanson said climate change, air pollution, emerging maladies, especially modern and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, cancer and diabetes, poor nutrition, stress n.k are the major contributing factor to children born premature,

“At this weeklong we are teaching doctors and nurses how to take care of premature babies about how to keeping , how them breath, how to give them nutrition, and how to prevent with infection to reduce death but also pregnancy women can avoid premature babies when they precaution”

Adding that, every week this time at ALMC they seeing babies born very small, very low weight survive because of training and motivation to the doctors, so we see this is the really important topic to other hospital in Tanzania and sub-Saharan country to introduce low technology easy to use method and training of how small babies can survive

Dr Ndini Itoine is a specialist from Maternity Africa caring for premature babies who points out that such services require nurses with passion and compassion.

“When it comes to the ratio, one nurse should be taking care of between one and four babies but many hospitals have just one nurse for more than ten premature births, which can be overwhelming,” said Dr Itoine.

These were described to be regions with the highest rates of preterm birth, and preterm babies who also face the highest mortality risk.

Together, Africa and Asia reportedly account for more than 65 percent of preterm births globally.

The situation around the world is that for every 10 babies born, 1 is preterm – and every 40 seconds, 1 of those cherubs dies.

The study's findings highlight the need for improved care for premature babies in Tanzania and other developing countries. With proper care, many of these babies can survive and thrive.