The miracle of a mother’s touch

The Daily Star Bangladesh HNN Team

When Shanta became pregnant for the second time, her family was elated. Two years back, the 18-year-old mother gave birth to her first child and luckily, there wasn’t any pregnancy or childbirth-related complications, despite her being underage. So, the couple from Narsingdi was looking forward to welcome the new addition to their family. Shanta was … Continued

Is India’s Healthcare System Failing Premature Babies Even Before They Are Born?

First Post India HNN Team

An estimated 15 million babies are born too early every year, or in other words, preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation). That is more than 1 in 10 babies. Approximately 1 million children die each year due to complications of preterm birth. Many survivors face a lifetime of disability, including learning disabilities and visual … Continued

Kangaroo mother care helps ensure the health of at-risk newborns

Prothom Alo Bangladesh HNN Team

  By Shishir Morol and Touhid Hasan Originally appeared in Protho Alo and reprinted by permission. Translation by Sohrab Hussain. To ensure her newborn would survive, Sayeda Meherunnessa, a school teacher was admitted to Kumarkhali Sub-District Hospital, Kushtia, on 23 February 2017. After the third day of her stay it was found that the mother kept her … Continued

Unnecessary C-sections done in Bangladesh, says Save the Children director Ishtiaq Mannan

bdnews24 Bangladesh HNN Team

“This is a life-saving procedure. So too many caesarian deliveries are as dangerous as too few,” Dr Ishtiaq Mannan, director of the Save the Children’s health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS wing, said at an orientation programme for journalists on Sunday. Citing the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), he said 23 percent of facility deliveries … Continued

Local leaders’ influence helps safe child birth in rural Bangladesh

bdnews24.com Bangladesh HNN Team

The family planning wing of the Bangladesh government has adopted a policy to use local government leaders’ influence in ensuring 24/7 normal delivery services and child care at the village level facilities.

Experts’ Comments on World Prematurity Day

The Daily Star HNN Team

A roundtable on World Prematurity Day was held recently at The Daily Star with the support of Save the Children. Distinguished speakers deliberated on the issue and put forward some important recommendations for adoption by the policy makers in their efforts to reduce the rate of preterm deaths in the country. Highlights of the discussion … Continued

Nigeria gets action plan to cater for sick newborns

The Guardian Nigeria HNN Team

The Federal Government has launched three new policy documents to tackle health of newborns. They are Nigeria Every Newborn Action Plan, Essential Newborn Care Course (ENCC) training package and National Chlorhexidine Scale Up Strategy document. The action plan is to serve as a roadmap that focuses on packages of interventions that address care during labour, … Continued

Kangaroo Mother Care Endorsed by Major Pediatric, Obstetric, Nursing, and Midwifery Associations

PRweb HNN Team

WASHINGTON, DC (PRWEB) NOVEMBER 16, 2016 Representatives of six major US and international health professional associations released an International Policy Statement for Universal Use of Kangaroo Mother Care for Preterm and Low Birthweight Infants (https://www.healthynewbornnetwork.org/resource/kmcjointstatement) at a press event held at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, November 15. The event, timed to coincide … Continued

Vietnamese neonatal nurse wins int’l award

Thanh Nien News Vietnam HNN Team

Vietnamese nurse Nguyen Thi Minh Hong has been named the winner of the International Neonatal Nursing Excellence Awards 2016 for her dedication to mothers and babies in one of Vietnam’s poorest areas over the past three decades. Hong was honored at the Ninth International Conference of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) in Canada on August 15. She and … Continued

“Clinical Appeal” Creates New Appeal in Bangladesh Rural Health

bdnews24.com Bangladesh HNN Team

Not many women give birth at hospitals in Bangladesh, with only four in every 10 women delivering with the help of skilled hands. Postnatal care is also rare. But Suchitra Sutradhar is one of those few who, despite living in a remote village, gave birth at a facility and keeps coming to that centre for … Continued