Life Dalview Hospital held its Preemie Day as part of World Prematurity Day, which is observed internationally on November 17.
According to the World Health Organization, 15 million babies are born prematurely every year and one million die as a result.
Babies who were born prematurely were invited to Preemie Day, where they were celebrated for the tough fight they won. Nursing staff were wearing shirts, boasting that ‘NNICU nurses are superheroes’.
Throughout the baby’s stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, nursing staff get very close to the babies and their parents and strong bonds are formed.
Everyone was very proud, and some were a bit emotional, to see how far the premature babies have come.
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One baby, in particular, spent 107 days in the unit and was walking on the day of the celebrations.
Melani Olivier, speech therapist and audiologist, told the parents about the importance of follow-up visits to ensure that baby’s hearing could be tested, as premature babies carry a higher risk of hearing loss.
Paediatrician Dr Kat Madini spoke about what a miracle premature babies are and what superheroes the parents are.
Modern technology and specialised nurses contribute to a much lower mortality rate of premature babies than before.
Babies who have passed away were also commemorated.
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