Uduaghan Launches High-Tech Child Care Equipment

Delta State Government has broken another medical feat as the State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara has been equipped with sophisticated equipment to take care of infants during the first month after birth.

The State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan on Thursday launched the equipment for the neonatal unit of the hospital and a special telephone network service that would enable the clinic to give expert advice on child care to other hospitals in the state.

A neonatal unit is an intensive care unit designed with special equipment to care for premature or seriously ill newborn.

The neonatal care machines, believed to be among the best in the country, among other use would enable experts at the hospital to take care of infants within the first 28 days of life, especially babies born prematurely.

Uduaghan described the machines as part of measures of his administration's holistic health plan to reduce infant mortality, adding that more of such equipment would be procured to meet growing demands.

Governor Uduaghan, launching the neonatal phone network, informed that the State's Ministry of Health has acquired 100 phones under the scheme which would facilitate exchange of expert information on new born babies between neonatologists at Oghara and doctors at other hospitals across the state before the cases get to the teaching hospital.

According to the governor, the innovation was aimed at enhancing the survival of babies within the first 28 days of life, which he described as the most critical stage in the life of an infant.

Uduaghan advised authorities of DELSUTH to commence training of the personnel to handle the phones and warned against using the phones for purposes other than what they are meant for.

The Consultant Neonatologists at the hospital, Dr. Onyeaso Udoka had explained that the neonatal machines would aid breathing of premature babies, regulate their oxygen intake and generally enhance the survival of infants.

On her part, Dr. Evidence Enifoniye said that one of the machines would help detect vision problems in infants and enable the expert to prevent blindness among babies.