Edo First Lady wants neonatal care units in hospitals

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro Benin

Edo state First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki has demanded the creation of Neonatal Care Units across hospitals in the state.
The initiative would help to reduce neonatal deaths (death of babies between 0 to 28 days), especially among the rural poor Nigerians.
Mrs Obaseki spoke while presenting gifts to the New Year babies at the Central Hospital Benin, Stella Obasanjo Hospital and St Philomena Catholic Hospital all in Benin City the Edo state capital.
At the St. Philomena Catholic Hospital, Mrs Obaseki commended the state of facilities at the neonatal care and maternity units at the hospital noting that the state government would synergize with the hospital to improve standards in State-owned hospitals.
The wife of the governor who also visited Central Hospital Benin and Stella Obasanjo Hospital, state owned hospitals, said “the visit is to ensure that babies are born under hygienic condition, and by skilled manpower urging the Management of the Hospitals to implement the ideas of her pet project on “Curbing Neonatal Deaths” in their hospitals.
She promised to assist the Stella Obasanjo hospital refurbish some of its broken down vehicles and discussed with the management of Central hospital Benin about modalities that will ensure the effective use of incubators in the hospital’s neonatal unit.
The first baby of the year was born at Stella Obasanjo Hospital, to the family of Mr and Mrs Aghator Adesewa, at 1:19 am, weighing 3.5kg.
While the second baby was born at Central Hospital Benin, Hospital at 11: 55am weighing 3.7 kg and the third at St Philomena Catholic Hospital by 12:19 pm and weighed 3.3kg.
The Medical Directors of Central Hospital, Benin, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga and Stella Obasanjo hospital, Dr Isaac Omorogiuwa appreciated the gesture and promised more quality service delivery at the neonatal care unit of the hospitals.
The duo also commended the wife of the governor for her “Reduce neonatal deaths initiative” saying it was apt as the country still rank very high in infant mortality.
The Medical Directors also use the occasion to commend the achievements of the Governor of the state, Mr Godwin Obaseki in the health sector.
Meanwhile, the mother of the first baby, Mrs Adesewa, thanked the wife of the Edo governor for her motherly care and gift presented to her baby.