Story, Louvier Kindo Tombe
The medical equipment were destined to the ministry of Public Health and the Chantal Biya foundation. They were handed during an official ceremony to mark the world prematurity day that held at the mother and child center of the Chantal Biya foundation in Yaounde on November 17. The consignment was received by the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, who thanked the UN body on behalf of the government of Cameroon.
By donating the medical equipment, UNICEF remains true to its mission, that of supporting the government of Cameroon through the first 1000 days program to ensure that every pregnant woman benefits from optimal monitoring during pregnancy and that this monitoring continues after delivery with appropriate care for the mother and the newborn.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Manaouda Malachie revealed that the government of Cameroon has acquired about 400 more incubators in 2023 to take care of premature babies. He said “President Paul Biya has instructed that pregnant women and children up to 42 days should be given special attention in the universal health coverage scheme in Cameroon”. Besides incubators as a form of taking care of premature babies, the government of Cameroon and UNICEF also support “skin-to-skin” contact through the Kangaroo mother care method.
The kangaroo mother care method has proven it’s worth. “This method reduces deaths among premature babies by 32 percent, increases breastfeeding by 48 percent, reduces severe infections by 15 percent and shortens hospital stays”, says Dr. Leonard Kouadio, representative of UNICEF Cameroon. The UNICEF scribe said the kangaroo mother care method is less costly and that proper care for pregnant women from the moment of conception eliminates risk factors. To him “quality care, efficient transfer to health facilities and effective, sustained follow-up enable premature newborns to survive, develop and achieve their full potential”.
Prematurity, a major public health issue in Cameroon
Prematurity is the leading cause of death among newborns. Annually, about 15 million babies worldwide are born prematurely, equating to 1 in 10 births (WHO). In Cameroon, prematurity is a significant public health issue, with approximately 28 percent of newborn deaths due to prematurity-related complications. In other words, around 3 out of 10 newborn babies die due to complications linked to prematurity in Cameroon each year.
Since early November 2023, health staff and media professionals have been briefed on this critical issue. Activities carried out, include consultations for children with preterm birth, educational talks on prematurity during vaccination sessions, and awareness campaigns in outpatient departments. Health experts are actively engaging with media to increase family awareness and foster community-level involvement.
This year’s theme of the world prematurity day is: “Small actions, big impact: immediate skin-to-skin care for all babies, everywhere in the world”.
In his opening address on the world prematurity day in Yaounde, the Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, stressed that 85 percent of deaths linked to prematurity and its complications are avoidable.
“We just need to regularly visit health facilities and consult especially pregnant women,” Dr. Manaouda Malachie said.
The Minister revealed that despite the severity of the situation, the government of Cameroon is handling it with great consideration. Between 2011 and 2018, Cameroon has greatly reduced the percentage of premature deaths in the country from 32 to 28. The Minister said “if we want to consider the period 2018 to date, we might be at 25 percent or below”. The achievements, he noted can only be improved if all the stakeholders play their roles correctly.
