Failure to register newborns leaves millions ‘invisible’ warns UN Children’s Fund

UN News India, Ethiopia, Zambia, Chad, Nepal, Bangladesh HNN Admin

This article was originally posted on UN News   UNICEF reports that the births of one in four children under-five, or some 166 million children globally, have never been officially recorded. Too many children are “slipping through the cracks,” said Henrietta Fore, the agency’s Executive Director: “A child not registered at birth is invisible – nonexistent … Continued

Newborn baby girl found buried alive in a clay pot in India gets clean bill of health less than two months later

Daily Mail India HNN Admin

This article was originally published by The Daily Mail A newborn baby girl who was found buried alive three feet underground in India has returned to full health less than two months later. The baby girl, whose parents are unknown, was barely breathing when she was rescued by a woman who was at a funeral … Continued

Maternal and newborn health improves in rural Nigeria, Ethiopia and India but inequities still exist

Eurekalert Nigeria, Ethiopia, India HNN Admin

This article was originally published by EurekAlert referring to the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) Community-based health programs in parts of rural Nigeria, Ethiopia and India were successful in improving health care for mothers and newborns, but inequities still exist, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). “Our findings have both … Continued

India newborn girl found in shallow grave ‘fighting for life’

BBC News India HNN Admin

This story was originally published by BBC News A newborn baby discovered buried alive in a clay pot in northern India is fighting for her life, her doctor says. She remains in a “critical” condition, suffering from septicemia and a dangerously low platelet count, pediatrician Ravi Khanna said. “There are chances of her survival, but … Continued

Uttar Pradesh: Soon, healthcare units where moms will stay with ailing newborns

Times of India India HNN Admin

This article was originally published by the Times of India here. In a paradigm shift in healthcare, ailing newborns will not be separated from their mothers at government hospitals in UP. The first Mother Newborn Care Unit or MNCU is coming up at Badaun district hospital. Till now, a sick baby was kept under intensive … Continued

In Nashik, colour-coded bedsheets are protecting newborns

The Indian Express India HNN Admin

This article originally appeared in The Indian Express here. By Anuradha Mascarenhas. If it’s Monday, the color code for bedsheets at Nashik civil hospital’s special newborn care unit (SNCU) is yellow, if it’s Tuesday, the sheets are pink, and so on for each day of the week. This simple measure ensures that the bedsheets have … Continued

Why is it difficult to interview young fathers about fatherhood, and why is it important that we keep trying?

Young Lives Peru, Ethiopia, Zambia, India HNN Admin

This article was originally published by Young Lives Many researchers hesitate to share difficulties experienced in fieldwork in case the credibility of field teams or of the research findings is called into question. I believe that sharing our experiences will contribute to better research, and therefore benefit all those involved and invested in the research. … Continued

Breastfeeding: Banking on breast milk

livemint India HNN Admin

This article was originally published on LiveMint here. On 4 April, Shilpa Bharadwaj was admitted to a government hospital in Sanagneri Gate, Jaipur, as soon as she experienced the first twinge of labour pain. Later that day, she delivered a healthy boy. Twelve hours later, she died of complications. Her family, wracked with grief, had … Continued

AMR: The awful toll of superbugs in India’s hospitals

SciDev.Net India HNN Admin

This article was originally published on SciDev.Net here. By: Ranjit Devraj The vigil for multidrug-resistant bugs is tight at the Holy Family Hospital, a charitable institution in the Indian capital known for its dedication to neonatal care. “We cannot afford to have newborns falling prey to difficult-to-treat bugs,” says Sumbul Warsi, medical director of the … Continued

The Taj Mahal becomes first Indian monument with breastfeeding room

Thomson Reuters Foundation India HNN Admin

This story was originally published by the Thomson Reuters Foundation here. NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – The Taj Mahal, built as a monument to a woman who died in childbirth, is set to get a baby feeding room in a first for India where conservative attitudes toward public breastfeeding mean nursing mothers are often … Continued