About 56 per cent of the under-five death of infants is contributed by preterm (before 37 completed weeks of gestation) births in Bhutan according to the Ministry of Health and UNICEF. While health care providers are working towards the prevention of preterm births and mortality, it remains a major concern.
To create awareness and to find and discuss solutions to the grave problem, health officials, UNICEF and parents from all walks of life came together yesterday to observe the ‘World Prematurity Day’ themed “Born too soon: The right care, at the right time, in the right place” in Thimphu.
One in ten babies is born prematurely in Bhutan, which accounts for about 1,300 preterm births in a year according to the Health Ministry and UNICEF. Multiple factors which can be prevented, are involved in the birth of a premature baby according to health officials.
“There are many risk factors for premature birth. One of the most important risk factors is when a woman has a history of preterm birth and also women who have short interpregnancy duration. And those who are anaemic, those who had inadequate antenatal care and also those who smoke or abuse substances,” said Pema Choden, a Consultant Gynaecologist at the JDWNRH.
According to the National Nutritional Survey 2015, nearly 1 in 3 adolescent girls in Bhutan are anaemic. Infant and young child feeding practices in Bhutan remain poor. Only about 1 in 10 children receive an adequate mix of nutrients daily. She added that proper nutrition and behavioural factors can easily prevent seeking medical consultations and care.
“To improve the challenges of the preterm birth, its complications, related to health, mortality, morbidity and most importantly the emotional turmoil the parents face, we need to work together and it involves from the policy level support, guidelines in place to give the right care and skilled health care workers and good infrastructure and most importantly the improved awareness to all the couples of the reproductive age group who are at risk of getting preterm birth,” she added.
During the event, UNICEF’s State of the World Children’s Report on Children, Food and Nutrition, was also launched that warns that an alarmingly high number of children are suffering the consequences of poor diets and a food system that is failing them. The report describes a triple burden of malnutrition, undernutrition and hidden hunger caused by lack of essential nutrients, and overweight among children under the age of five.
Some of the parents of premature babies also shared their experiences, concerns and suggestions to curb the issue.
“When she was kept in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for one and half months, she was doing well but after some time she got infection and the scenario was so worse that even we got the news saying that antibiotics are of no help to her. But later with the strongest antibiotics, It armed her to resist all those infections. Till date with the grace of God and with the medical team of JDWNRH, my daughter is doing good. To all the mothers with premature babies, please be strong and maintain cleanliness,” shares Chandra Giri, a mother of a premature baby.
“They are 70 days old. We faced a lot of hardships. We did not sleep till date. Recently my babies were discharged from the hospital and are home as of now. They are doing okay. Initially, they had to go through a lot of treatments, difficult times and every time they were taken for treatment, they got infections and my wife cried most of the time. Premature babies are very vulnerable to infections. Home utensils should be very clean and sterilised all the time. With a little mistake, they would get infections and to get them cured is a very difficult job. JDWNRH’s NICU unit did a wonderful job,” added Narapati Sharma, a father of preterm twins.
Kangaroo Mother Care, the practice of providing continuous skin to skin contact between a mother and a baby, breastfeeding and complementary feeding after 6 months to the premature baby are some of the feasible solutions today. The day called for all compassionate doctors and nurses, empathetic policymakers and caring society to come together in addressing the serious issue.
Tshering Dendup
