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Medical advice: Don’t confine newborns to the room…bring them out once daily
Mothers have been cautioned against the practice of keeping newborns indoor for about seven days, as some customs and tradition demand.
It has been recommended that instead of keeping neonates in the room until it is time for their christening or naming ceremony, babies should be brought out at least once a day for “general observation,” including signs of Neonatal Jaundice.
This, according to Paediatrician, Dr Okine Brako, is necessary because Neonatal Jaundice remains the leading cause of illness (morbidity) at Intensive Care Units (ICU), especially within the first two weeks of birth.
Speaking to The Spectator about the condition, he said although the number of deaths recorded as a result of neonatal jaundice (mortality) in babies was low, the side effects of the condition which includes cerebral palsy were increasing.
Although statistics were not readily available, he said Neonatal Jaundice was “bound to occur in about 60 per cent of new born babies.”
Neonatal Jaundice is explained as the “yellow discoloration of a newborn baby’s skin and eyes, which occurs because the baby’s blood contains an excess of bilirubin” (a yellow pigment of red blood cells).
It is a common condition, particularly in babies born before 38 weeks gestation (preterm babies) and some breast-fed babies. Doctors say it may occur because a baby’s liver “is not matured enough to get rid of bilirubin in the bloodstream.”
Dr. Okine explained two types of the condition as physiologic jaundice (which occurs within 48 to 72 hours after birth) and pathologic jaundice (which occurs with 24 hours) and said parents should pay serious attention to the latter (pathologic jaundice).
He said severe jaundice in babies (if not attended to promptly) could cause permanent brain damage leading to cerebral palsy.
He stated blood incompatibility between mother and baby, infections, enzyme deficiency, and improper breast feeding as some of the causes of (physiologic) neonatal jaundice.
Dr. Okine, also the Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, said treatment for babies with the condition included phototherapy (where babies are placed under artificial lights) while in other instances treatment may require “blood exchange transfusion.”
“Blood exchange transfusion is where we gradually change the whole baby’s blood and it takes about four hours to do that,” he noted.
He said, for this reason, there was the need to draw more attention to neonatal jaundice, encourage parents to be vigilant and seek early treatment because “early identification can save lives.”
“Mothers must pay keen attention to yellowing of the skin and take the child to hospital. They should not sit and wait. Don’t keep newborns in the dark. Bring the baby out every day and look out for signs of jaundice,” he stressed.
The month of May each year is dedicated worldwide to creating awareness on Neonatal Jaundice and this year’s theme is “Survive and Thrive from Yellow to Hero.”
By Ernest Nutsugah
News
ICU holds Greater Accra regional youth, women confab
The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) on Friday held the Greater Accra Regional Youth and Women’s Conference to build a strategic network.
The conference which brought together representatives of the Union was a great opportunity for ICU Ghana to make its voice heard on policies that were crucial to the development of the country.
The platform was also used to elect new officers for the Greater Accra Branch of The ICU Ghana to mark its 12th National Quadrennial Conference in August.
The General Secretary of the ICU Ghana, Mr Morgan Ayawine, called on government to assist the two state-owned media organisation, New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of The Spectator and The Ghanaian Times newspapers and Graphic Communication Group Limited (GCGL).
“The two state-owned media played major roles in disseminating government policies, educating, entertaining and informing the public of the happenings in the world,” he added.
He said ICU Ghana would also raise issues about the recapitalisation of the two organisations with the sector minister.
Mr Ayawine disclosed that the ADB and NIB banks were also going through the same ordeal but government intervened and urged government to do same for the two state-owned organisations.
He stressed on equal partnership between unions and employers, saying the capital and labour were crucial to create, produce and generate funds.
The General Secretary advised the various branches of the association to suggest solutions on socio-economic issues such as employment for discussions.
The newly-elected members who were sworn in by the General Secretary, Mr Morgan Ayawine includes Belinda Cochrane-chairman, Eric Ekow Turkson-Vice chairman and Moses Kwaku Otoo-Secretary.
Others were Charles Akomea-Financial Secretary, Charles Biden- Executive Member, Diana Asiedu-Women’s Representative and Samuella A. Brago-Youth Representative.
The chairman of the Greater Accra Branch of the ICU Ghana, Belinda Cochrane thanked the leadership for contributing to the success of the union.
She added that the conference was to prepare for the 12th National Quadrennial Conference and also to take stock of the activities of the branch for the past years and discuss issues on the ground.
News
Minister for Health holds emergency stakeholder meeting with principals and directors of Health Training Institutions
In a proactive move to strengthen collaboration within the health sector, the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has convened an emergency meeting with the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions (COHHETI) across the country.
The meeting aimed to deepen engagement between the Ministry and key stakeholders responsible for training health professionals.
The session provided a platform for open dialogue on the challenges facing health training institutions, the quality of healthcare education, and the strategic direction of human resource development in the sector.
Addressing the stakeholders, Mr. Akandoh emphasized the importance of fostering strong and cordial relationships between the Ministry and training institutions to ensure a well-coordinated and responsive healthcare system.
He indicated that the purpose of the meeting was also to collaborate, discuss concerns, and find practical solutions that would benefit not only the institutions but also the Ghanaian people who rely on the healthcare system.
The President of COHHETI, Madam Margaret Mary Alacoque welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and necessary. She raised concerns about transportation challenges, accreditation delays, staffing shortages, and the general conditions and status of service for Health Training Institutions (HTIs). She also shared innovative strategies that some institutions have adopted to improve training outcomes.
In his response, Mr.Akandoh assured participants of the Ministry’s commitment to addressing their concerns and announced plans to enhance coordination and follow-ups.
He added that the Ministry would soon introduce policy reforms aimed at improving standards in health education and ensuring alignment with national health priorities.
These reforms include reducing the cost of admission, implementing automatic code generation for applicants, and clarifying leadership roles within HTIs.
