On the event of ‘World Prematurity Awareness Day’ – November 17, Philips Innovation Campus organised an awareness session with Dr Karthik Nagesh, renowned neonatologist and paediatrician on the topic “Developmental care for premature babies” at Bangalore. Dr Nagesh, Founder, Managing Trustee of the ‘Foundation for Newborns’, a trust that does charity for sick babies and promotes newborn health, spoke on the occasion and said, “Babies born too soon need a good start in life. Hence, we should do whatever it takes to reduce the burden and mortality associated with prematurity by spreading awareness on the need for their safe delivery in institutions where they can be cared for.” Preterm birth is emerging as a global crisis. Every one in 10 babies born worldwide is preterm. Off all the preterm babies born in the world, one fourth are in India amounting to over 35 lakh children born premature.
“Each premature baby requires immediate and individualised attention. However, their requirements are quite simple. Preterm babies need warmth, oxygen and need monitoring of sugar-level,” said Dr Nagesh. Antenatal steroid injection and proper handling and efficient medical care can reduce the mortality due to prematurity.
Another important intervention is Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), which borrows its name and technique from kangaroos and other marsupials is also estimated to save 450,000 lives each year. KMC allows mother’s own body to serve as a low-tech incubator for the provision of critical newborn care by wrapping the babies to their bare chests. Mothers are also encouraged to initiation breast-feeding immidiately, which helps to protect the newborn against severe infections and provides essential nutrients.
Anxious parents of pre-term babies can deal with the difficulties of handling a premature baby if they are well-informed and work closely with care givers. With emphasis on integrated development care for neonates, Philips showcased a range of products to promote family centred care including positioning aids like Bendy bumpers, Prone Plus, Snuggle Up, Fredrick T Frog, and Wee pee Diapers for premature neonates. Demonstrating the products, Srikanth Muthya, Director, Healthcare said, “Each product is developed with seven evidence-based core measures in mind: healing environment, partnering with families, positioning and handling, protecting sleep, minimising stress and pain, optimising nutrition, and safeguarding sleep.” He also added, “Philips has extended beyond basic therapeutic devices and moved into cognitive developmental care for premature new borns.”
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