By Lorraine Anyango

Little Miracles.

Kisumu County marked World Prematurity Day with a colorful ceremony, with a determination to find a turn- around the glaring data indicating Kisumu’s mortality rate being higher than the national average.

This year between July and September 36 percent of the admissions in the newborn unit were a result of prematurity.

Even more alarming, is data from Nest 360 indicating that 80 % of extreme cases with babies with a birth rate of less than one kilogram died. Another 48 percent of those with between one kilogram to 1.5 kgs also died.

This scenario exists despite improvements in the parameters of care being monitored by various partners.

The celebrations were flagged off by Kisumu’s First Lady Mama Dorothy Nyongo at the Kenston’s Square building, led by police officers and a band, the participant’s voices rend the air as they walked to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) grounds raising awareness.

She called on stakeholders to have consulted effort in tackling challenges arising from pre-term birth, “Everyone has a role to play, the fathers, mothers, nurses, grandparents, everyone “She emphasized.

In song and dance participants including students from Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Community Health Volunteers, (CHVs) nurses, pediatricians and partners took to the street to raise awareness of Kangaroo Mother Care as an essential part of raising pre-term babies.

The thyme for this year’s celebration was, ‘A parent’s embrace, a powerful therapy, enabling the skin to skin contact from the moment of birth.’

The guest of honor, nominee County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water Environment and Natural Resources, Merlin Agwa, County Director for health, Fred Odhiambo, County coordinator for Child Health, Nicholas Pule, County coordinator for nutrition, Rael Mwando, Deputy CEO JOOTRH, Dr. Dedan Ngonga and Director Finance and Administration JOOTRH Alex Ochieng, Director Nursing JOOTRH, Teresa Okiri together danced as they demonstrated Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC).

The Pediatricians led by Dr. Joy Odhimbo from Lumumba Hospital dint stop giving a speech, they also said a prayer for the premature babies and celebrated the resilience of the babies born too soon as well as remembering those who have sadly lost.

Mrs. Agwa called for nurses to be trained in sign language to enable them to communicate effectively with mothers who are both dumb and deaf.

Mr. Fred Odhiambo said that the county is investing in several ways to ensure that the challenge of pre-terms is adequately dealt with.

Dr. Joy expanded on the vulnerabilities that pre-term babies endure hence reducing their chances of survival including, including bleeding in their brain, neurodevelopment delays, cerebral palsy, blindness and deafness, their lungs being immature, they need oxygen therapy long term, they forget to breathe and need noninvasive ventilation.

“The end of the tunnel is that we have high impact and low-cost evidence-based interventions, timed to reduce the morbidity and mortality of our pre-terms.” She added.

The celebrations registered the need to have counseling for mothers likely to have pre-term babies, the counseling being on potential complications of pre-term births and the long-term out comes.

There was also a call to embrace centered care to enable women and their families to partner in clinical decision-making.

“We need to empower women to enact their role as caregivers, to give them confidence and knowledge to look after their babies.” Dr. Joy said.

“Oh lord as you look down from heaven….you may have to squat, we are located here in the Newborn Unit (NBU)…is the nursery that we rent, we have a lot in common, we were all in a hurry ……for we are living miracles, mommy and daddy must simply believe that you have angels watching over us, from time to time …. As the prayer come to a close, the celebrants chorused Amen.

The chief guest, together with pre-term champions and mothers cut a cake in commemoration of the day as the celebrations come to an end.