Group Trains Healthcare Givers On Birth Management

AS part of activities to equip birth attendants towards successful resuscitation of babies, who do not breathe on their own within one minute of birth, Outreach Hospital Group, a leading health care service has provided free training for medical workers.

Dr. Efunbo Dosekun, Chief Executive Officer of the group was at the Helping Baby Breathe workshop organised by the hospital in Ajah, Lagos, which witnessed large turnout of doctors, nurses, skilled birth attendants and other medical personnel.

Dosekun revealed Nigeria is ranked the highest in Africa in terms of Neonatal deaths, second highest in the world because of population, and 20-28 per cent due to birth asphyxia among others. Some of the neonatal problems are weak breathing, fluid in the lungs, foreign bodies, excessive blood loss, lack of oxygen and others.

She disclosed that the Helping Baby Breathe initiative emerged as a result of increasing complications of long-term morbidity and even death of babies, which do not breathe on their own largely due to lack of knowledge and skill of birth attendants. She said this problem has contributed immensely to failure of achievement of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 reducing Child mortality.

According to the Medical Director, the hospital have resolved to training 1000 health personnel of all cadre in order to impact the required skill and knowledge of resuscitation, free of charge. Over 20 health workers within Ajah, Addo, Langbasan and environs have benefited from free medical training.
Dosekun maintained that the development of such child-friendly health care environment is an essential part of the overall being of children as they grow to become healthy adults.

Dr. Dare Alexander, a beneficiary from Royal Infirmary Hospital, Ajah, Lagos said babies stand better chance of survival, if hospitals and birth attendants put more effort on adequate neonatal resuscitation and training.