Chennai, November 17, 2022:
Rainbow Children’s Hospital, the one-stop child care destination in Chennai, today celebrated New-Born Week and World Prematurity Day with a string of awareness and other activities, including the launch its first Human Milk Bank.
This function was presided over by actor Mr Nakkhul Jaidev and his wife Mrs Sruthi, a chef , TV anchor, and breastfeeding supportive mother. Preterm babies who were treated in Rainbow Children’s Hospital took part in the event and it was a happy occasion to see them together.
Doctors and other staff members of the hospital took a pledge to support, care and standby every preterm and their family in their most difficult time.
The Human Milk Bank launched by the hospital is single intervention that can reduce duration of hospital stay, prevent feed intolerance and facilitate early recovery in preterm neonates. Preterm babies need human milk and their mothers may not produce enough to feed them. Cow milk or formula may put these babies at risk for severe infection and intestinal dysfunction. Human milk will be delivered by the bank free of cost for the NICU babies. This also reduces expenditure in procuring commercial donor milk.
Dr. Rahul Yadav, Lead Consultant, Neonatology, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, said, “Prematurity care is often not well taken by society and sometimes the medical fraternity. There is still disbelief in treating a small 500 gms baby. At Rainbow Children’s Hospital we have created a niche for micropremies (baby less than 750 gms ) with the motto to improve their quality care and outcomes. We are immensely happy to share that the smallest preterm born at 22 weeks is now 4 years and doing well. We have many more happy parents of micropremies who have brought healthy children to the world and are sending a strong message to believe and support preterm care.”
Dr. Shobana Rajendran, Sr. Consultant – Neonatology & Pediatrics and Dr. Arunkumar, Sr. Consultant- Neonatology & Pediatrics, were part of today’s event and spoke in detail about preterm baby care.
New-borns refer to babies from birth to 28 days life and preterm neonates are babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The New-Born week is celebrated every year between November 15 – 21 with an intention to create awareness on safe new born care practice. This year we celebrate with the theme “Ensuring quality health care for every new born”
The first 28 days is the most crucial phase of child survival. The highest deaths in children happen during this time of their life. Nearly 50% of under five children mortality happens in the new born period. The National neonatal mortality rates (NMR) have reduced in 2019-21 to 24.9/1000 live birth from 29.5/1000live birth in 2015-16.Tamilnadu has the NMR at 12.7 which one of the lowest in the country.
The National goal is to achieve NMR less than 16/1000 live birth by 2025. Reduction in neonatal mortality rates need multidisciplinary approach starting with girl health, family planning, optimal antenatal care, hospital delivery and neonatal care. Advancement in optimising the neonatal outcome has been a priority all over the world. Neonatal well-being requires active participation of parents’ family and society. The New-Born Week celebration helps create awareness in best practices to raise a healthy child.
The week has dedicated 17th of November as the World Prematurity Day. Prematurity is a leading cause of neonatal death. The concerns preterm baby faces can be medical, social and financial. The deaths in <1kg can be as high as 71% and <1500 -28%. The medical advancement with infrastructure protocol and supportive care has made a commendable improvement in survival of extreme preterm.
