A consultant paediatrician and neonatologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Dr Yasangra-Rabo Adeniji, has urged pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics early and adopt preventive measures to reduce the risk of premature births.
She also called on governments at all levels to expand health insurance coverage for newborns, particularly premature babies who often require prolonged hospitalisation and specialised care.
Adeniji made the call on Friday during a media dialogue with stakeholders in Gombe to commemorate World Prematurity Day, organised by the Paediatric Association of Nigeria in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund Bauchi Field Office.
She explained that some risk factors associated with premature births were preventable, including “pregnancy-related hypertension, malaria, infections and anaemia, stressing that early identification and management could improve pregnancy outcomes.
“Some of the risk factors for preterm delivery are modifiable. When you work on them, you are likely to reduce the chances of having a preterm baby,” she said.
According to her, women with a history of hypertension during pregnancy or a family history of the condition should commence antenatal care early to enable healthcare providers to assess their risks and administer preventive treatment where necessary.
She identified hypertensive disorders in pregnancy as one of the commonest contributors to premature deliveries at the hospital, adding that malaria prevention through insecticide-treated nets, antenatal medications and improved nutrition could also reduce the risk.
The neonatologist said some women with cervical incompetence could benefit from a procedure known as cervical cerclage, in which the cervix is supported to help prevent premature opening.
She, however, noted that some causes of prematurity, including certain foetal abnormalities and multiple pregnancies, might not be preventable.
Adeniji also highlighted the risks associated with multiple pregnancies resulting from assisted reproductive techniques, explaining that carrying several babies increased the likelihood of premature delivery.
Turning to the cost of treatment, she urged the government to strengthen universal health coverage for newborns, arguing that babies should be able to access health insurance independently of their mothers.
“We don’t see newborns as human beings that have a name and should have insurance in their own right, not linked to their mothers,” she said.
She explained that situations in which a mother was not enrolled in a health insurance scheme could make it difficult to secure coverage for a newborn who developed an emergency.
Although she commended the availability of the Social Health Insurance Scheme and other support mechanisms, she said coverage gaps remained a challenge for families whose babies required extended hospital care.
“If you have a baby, even if it is a term baby, it is challenging. Imagine if it is a preterm baby and the baby has to stay in the hospital sometimes for two months,” she said.
Adeniji added that newborns were particularly vulnerable because they could not independently seek loans or provide for their medical needs, making government intervention and parental support essential.
She also called on development partners to sustain their support for prematurity awareness, training and experience-sharing activities, commending UNICEF for supporting the activities organised to mark this year’s World Prematurity Day.
The specialist further urged media organisations to devote airtime to public education on premature births, including the causes, management options and misconceptions surrounding the condition.
“This is a fight that we can’t fight alone. We need everyone to help us,” she said, while encouraging parents of premature babies to share their experiences with other families undergoing similar challenges.
She said such peer support had helped some mothers remain patient during prolonged hospital stays and maintain cooperation with healthcare workers, particularly in expressing breast milk and following medical advice.
Also speaking, UNICEF Public Health Specialist, Dr Oluseyi Olosunde, said the organisation had trained more than 104 health workers over the past three years as part of efforts to improve newborn survival.
He said UNICEF was also supporting awareness campaigns and community sensitisation to help people understand the dangers associated with premature births.
“In the last three years, UNICEF has trained over about 104 health workers. We are also committed to awareness creation, getting the people sensitised, and helping communities to know about this problem,” Olosunde said.
He added that UNICEF had provided oxygen in several states, describing it as an essential commodity for saving the lives of vulnerable newborns.
“We are committed to continuing to support our government and our health institutions to make sure that neonatal death is brought totally down in the next few years,” he said.
Olosunde urged stakeholders to recognise prematurity as a problem that could be prevented in some cases and managed effectively through appropriate healthcare interventions.
Meanwhile, the Matron in charge of the Special Care Baby Unit at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Olanike Olabode, said educating mothers about premature births was essential to improving newborn survival.
She said some mothers became frustrated when premature babies required weeks of hospital care, as many expected to return home shortly after delivery.
“The first thing we do is to enlighten them and make them understand that this baby is born before term. So, they need to be patient and give us their full cooperation so that their baby can survive,” Olabode said.
She explained that anxiety and frustration sometimes affected mothers’ willingness to express breast milk or comply with treatment plans, requiring nurses to counsel and reassure them throughout the period of admission.
“Sometimes, when they become anxious, the breast milk is no more there. So, you have to walk through, try to calm them down, make them understand and reassure them,” she added.
Olabode, however, commended the state government, hospital management and medical personnel for improving facilities and support for premature babies at the unit.
She said the facility had more than 10 incubators, alongside continuous positive airway pressure machines and oxygen supplies to support newborns experiencing breathing difficulties.
According to her, the introduction of support mechanisms, including the Social Health Insurance Scheme and the National Agency for Maternal and Child Health Support (NAMSAS), has eased access to treatment, particularly during the initial 48 hours of admission.
She said the hospital’s improved facilities and staffing had contributed to better outcomes, recalling that the unit previously recorded as many as seven deaths in a week in some periods.
“Recently, in a month, we had zero mortalities. Yes, of all preterm babies. If we have any at all, maybe one in 10 or so. We have been doing very, very well,” she said.
The matron also disclosed that the hospital had invested in specialised nursing care, with paediatric nurses deployed across the emergency paediatric unit, surgical and medical wards, and the Special Care Baby Unit.
On concerns about power supply, Olabode said the hospital had a generator and solar power connected to the Special Care Baby Unit to ensure that essential equipment continued functioning during electricity interruptions.
She added that the hospital management prioritised power restoration and alternative supply whenever outages occurred to prevent disruptions to the care of premature babies.
