By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
Accra, March 12, GNA – The Hungary Embassy, IPMC and JA Health Hub under the auspices of the Ga Mantse Foundation, have donated a neonatal phototherapy machine and an incubator to the Princess Marie Louise (PML) Children’s Hospital.
The move was to help treat neonatal jaundice and other new-born conditions.
The “Medicor Babylife KA-145LT tunnel photography and BLF-2001G infant incubator” are expected to provide a reliable, accurate and secured environment for new-borns with a blue-light wavelengths to lower their bilirubin levels.
King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse said healthcare in Ghana faced major challenges and the PML Hospital was unfortunately the only children’s hospital in the country providing specialised paediatric healthcare.
The facility, he said, however faced lots of infrastructure deficits, hence the step with partners to support it in saving newborn lives.
He expressed contentment and optimism that the equipment enhanced the capacity of healthcare institutions to provide quality neonatal care.
King Tsuru II commended his partners -IPMC, Medicor, and Hungarian Embassy in Ghana among others for the benevolence in promoting quality healthcare for children.
He gave an assurance to ensure that other complementary children’s hospitals were established in the Greater Accra region, and pledged to devote a land for the construction.
He invited many with a “muscle and the means” to join hands to ensure that the vision was brought to bear to make the future hopeful for parents and new-borns.
Mr Amardeep Singh Hari, the Chief Executive Officer, IPMC, commended the efforts of Ghana’s leadership, especially that of President John Mahama in building the University of Ghana Medical Centre and Greater Accra Regional Hospital among others to improve the nation’s health infrastructure.
He said health practitioners however faced a couple of problems regarding new-born care, hence the intervention to support.
“IPMC as a responsible business citizen of Ghana is taking this step to inspire other businesses to come forward to help to improve the infrastructure of neonatal care units.
“A child with a certain health problem will live because one chooses to be kind. And so I implore others to join in similar ways to improve on the health sector,” he said.
Dr Maame Yaa Nyarko, Medical Superintendent, PML Children’s Hospital, speaking on the topic, “A Preventable Cause of Morbidity and Mortality in New-borns,” said although a lot of the children were not dying from neonatal jaundice, they were suffering from it’s long term effects such as cerebral palsy.
She defined neonatal jaundice as the yellowish discolouration of the skin, sclera and mucous membranes as a result of the break down of the red blood cells.
She said 60 percent of term babies and 80 per cent of preterm babies could develop newborn jaundice.
Dr Nyarko advised mothers to ensure early initiation of breastfeeding to help keep the yellow colouration away.
Dr Joseph Akwasi Boateng, an International Medicine Specialist, called on heath practitioners to make their operations patient-centred, citing the Mayo Clinic, United States as one that had won its status as the best for years due to such form of operations.
“Let’s stop the kind of practice where a Doctor asks a patient, why are you here? Are you a Medical Doctor and how do you know you have malaria? Let’s stop talking to patients in improper ways. You are smart enough to be a Medical Doctor, so don’t behave like that,” he advised.
Dr Boateng admonished government and the private sector to join hands to turn facilities like the PML, UGMC and Greater Accra Regional Hospital among others into medical tourists to sustain them.
Mr Andras Steiner, Deputy CEO, Medicor, manufacturers of the equipment, said although the phototherapy machine would help to revive new-borns, parents should endeavour to take their babies to health facilities on time without delay to ensure quick recovery and survival.
The Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, Chairman, Advisory Board, PML Children’s Hospital, said the machines were beautiful gifts for the facility which was going to celebrate its hundredth anniversary.
“I’ve watched children suffer at the hospital and sometimes asked God why children have to suffer that way. It hasn’t been an easy time at all. So many children were coming to the hospital and so many parents lose their children. So this gift is a wonderful one and I say thank you to IPMC, Hungarian Embassy, Medicor and all partners for the support,” he said.
GNA
GRB