• Mrs. Mayne-Eghan making a donation
to a mother of a preterm baby

An advocate for preterm babies’ wellness and their survival, Mrs. Naa Kuorkor Mayne-Eghan, Founder of Jay Foundation, has expressed dissatisfaction about the rate at which some mothers and parents abandon from their preterm babies at various health facilities.

The advocate bemoaned that some families in our Ghanaian cultural setting have the misconception that preterm babies are bad omens and a curse to the family; hence, they abandon these little innocent babies in order not to carry them along as curses.

This act, she said, was cruel, inhumane, and primitive because the preterm babies are innocent of whatever complication they may find themselves in.

She explained that preterm babies are those born before the 37th week of pregnancy, and that such babies re­quire special treatment and attention at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to be able to grow normally like full-term babies.

Adding to that, she said some of the treatment for these preterm babies may require more intensive nursery care, medication, and some­times surgery due to the degree of complications.

Mrs. Mayne-Eghan encouraged preterm mothers not to be anxious and afraid of preterm babies because the situation has nothing to do with spirituality, superstitious beliefs, or a curse as such babies are just going to grow up and be perfectly fit like full-term babies.

“It is about time we eschew neg­ative perceptions and do away with some myths and misconceptions about maternal health and its related health complications,” she stressed.

On her part, there must be enough education for preterm mothers and her family at large in order to pre­vent the worrying phenomenon where families and mothers abandon preterm babies because it has nothing to do with traditional or cultural affiliations but rather a medical condition.

The founder of the Jay Foundation called on stakeholders in the health sector to shift attention to neonatal healthcare because these preterm ba­bies are the future leaders who would rule the affairs of the nation.

“The death of a baby should not be as a result of negligence or due to the unavailability of medical equipment, electricity, or space because the babies did not ask to be born into such troubling situations,” she passionately underscored.

According to her, the Jay Founda­tion, a non-governmental organisation has devoted its mandate to ensuring that pre-mature babies survive in Ghana by ensuring their mothers are happy and the neonatal intensive care units are equipped to ensure that the babies thrive.

Highlighting the success story of the Jay Foundation, the Founder said since its inception in 2019, it has made donations of more than GH¢300,000 to NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) in 10 hospitals and medical facilities in the country to support preterm babies, their mothers, and staff of the hospitals.

Tema General Hospital, Nsawam, Korle Bu, ShaiOsudoku, Keta Hospi­tals, Battor Catholic, Wenchi Hospital,

 Bamboi Polyclinic, Banda District Hospital, and Jama Polyclinic are among the facilities she mentioned.

“Items donated included digi­tal thermometers, digital weighing scales, suction machines, pulse oximeters, nasal prongs, baby cots, cot sheets, bedsheets, drip stands, kangaroo mother care clothes, baby wipes, napkins, sanitisers, baby clothing, and cleaning materials, among others,” the advocate men­tioned.

Mrs. Mayne-Eghan observed that, in Ghana, most preterm babies do not get adequate care due to lack of space, facilities, and essentials needed to evade infection, which cause death.

She reiterated her commitment with her indefatigable team members at the Jay Foundation to continually aim at reducing the high mortality rate of neonates and maternal mortality in the short term.

By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah