The United Kingdom based Bolgatanga, Bongo, Tongo and Nabdam Area (BONABOTO) has donated three (3) Airshied C2000 incubators to the management of the Upper East Regional hospital in Bolgatanga.
The intervention by UK-BONABOTO is aimed at reducing neonatal deaths associated with preterm babies at the facility.
Speaking at the presentation of the items to authorities of the hospital, former Secretary of UK BONABOTO Branch, David Atuguya, bemoaned the rate newborn deaths in the country particularly among under-five years in the region hence their quest to support the facility reduce neonatal deaths.
“It was for these reasons; BONABOTO-UK decided that it will be good to support the Regional Hospital with these incubators to help the hard working and highly skilled staff to do work efficiently and effectively, and to save as many lives as possible in the process”.
Acting medical director of the facility, Dr. Samuel Aborah , commended UK-BONABOTO for their timely intervention, adding that, it will contribute significantly towards reducing neonatal deaths in the region.
He indicated that, though the facility was making strides in neonatal deaths reduction, they need more investment on the areas of incubators and critical specialist to change the narrative.
“It is significant to mention that admissions rose from 834 in 2014 to 1166 in 2019. Also death rate decrease from 9.23℅ in 2014 to 7.81℅ in first half of 2020”.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Director Clinical care Dr. Abdul Razak Dokurugu, who received the incubators on behalf of the Regional Director of Health, thanked BONABOTO for the incubators and appealed to philanthropist and benevolent organizations to emulate same to save the lives newborns in critical condition.