…as they mark World Prematurity Day
Flocare Beauty and Milk Maid, both family wellness SMEs brands, have extended support to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Tema General Hospital.
They extended support to premature babies and their mothers to mark this year’s World Prematurity Day.
Pre-term babies refers to babies born alive before the 37 weeks of pregnancy are completed. World Prematurity Day is an occasion to raise awareness on neonatalogy and encourage mothers and families to improve the treatment and care of all premature babies. It aims to give preemies equal survival chances worldwide without avoidable long-term complications.
An estimated 13.4 million babies were born preterm in 2020, with nearly 1 million dying from preterm complications, according to a new report released by United Nations agencies and partners. This is equivalent to around one in ten babies born early – before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Chief Executive Officer of Flocare Beauty, Christabel Ofori, underscored the need for special care for preterm babies and mothers.
She said as social impact brands, her outfit and its partner – Milk Maid, has made it a part of their policy to celebrate the day with mothers and babies, especially premature babies.
They presented packs of products, each containing essentials such as lactating booster, baby formula and washing powder to mothers in the maternity wards. Other items donated include lactating cookies, cocoa drink, diapers, wipes, feeding bottles, baby clothes, bottled water, baby skin care products and fruits at the cost of GH¢9,000.
She said: “Last year, we celebrated the day with the Mamobi Clinic. Aside from our donations of natural skincare products, these babies have delicate skin so we want to give them the best of our natural products”.
Mrs. Ofori highlighted the importance of the Kangaroo Mother Care, which is usually known as skin-to-skin contact, breast feeding and gentle massage with local natural baby products.
“As parents, baby massage is key. Let us do more baby massages at least three times in a week; it is a way of getting back to them, leading to a stronger bond as they grow and it really helps them psychologically,” she said.
She noted the donation is geared toward giving back to society, and urged mothers to patronise locally made products for the entire family.
Dr. Abigail Danso Aboagye, a paediatrician for NICU at Tema General Hospital, said the hospital has chalked numerous successes with regards to the survival of preterm babies’ delivery at the unit.
“With the right and proper care, most preterm babies come out successfully and they survive. You have seen, today, babies who have grown,” she said.
