World Prematurity Day — November 17, 2019 was celebrated with an event that co-organized by Near East University Hospital and Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital. Children born preterm and their parents, chief physicians and health providers of both hospitals came together at the event that realized under the motto "A Sapling for Each Premature Baby in order to Grow-up together and to be a Breath for them". Since the preemie's needs call for special care probably in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the vital importance of having childbirth at hospitals with neonatal intensive care unit was underlined. Within the scope of the event, which aimed at increasing awareness about the issues of premature birth and newborn health, a sapling was planted for each child born preterm at both hospitals.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan: "To be born in the right centers and receiving the right care are very important for infants born preterm in terms of healthy growth and adaptation to the society".
Delivering a speech regarding the meaning and importance of the World Prematurity Day, Near East University Hospital Pediatrics and Neonatal Intensive Care Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr.Ceyhun Dalkan stated that raising awareness about the babies born prematurely and the challenges faced by them and their parents constituted the core of the event that organized by Near East University Hospital and Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital. Highlighting that lack of care could put the lives of many babies born preterm at risk, Associate Professor Dalkan stated that hospitals with neonatal intensive care units were the right places to have a delivery. "In this aspect, both Near East University Hospital and Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital with their medical teams consisting of experienced and competent physicians and nurses as well as with neonatal intensive care units having the most advanced medical equipment provide the most specialized care for infants born preterm who probably have developmental, emotional, behavioral, or medical needs that call for specialized care” said he.
Highlighting that every newborn has the chance to live a healthy and productive life, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan expressed their happiness of seeing the babies born preterm growing up healthily. "Today is 17 November - the World Prematurity Day. It is the day of the babies born preterm, who still need the warmth and affection that they used to have in the womb. Approximately 8-10 percent of all births in the world and in our country result in preterm births. Since premature babies need specialized care addressing their developmental, emotional and medical needs, it is of great importance to have the delivery at the right centers that can provide specialized care. In this regard, specialized care received at the right center ensures the conditions required for the preterm baby to grow-up and develop in a healthy way” noted he.
Noting that the aim of 17 November - World Prematurity Day was to provide opportunity to call attention to the needs and challenges of the little heroes, who were in a hurry to come to the world, and raise awareness on the vital role of appropriate neonatal care, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan underlined that a premature baby might experience some complications and pointed out the necessity of the most up-to-date treatments, with the most advanced technological devices and the most experienced teams, especially from the moment they were born.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan: "We are planning to make the Prematurity Forest Project traditional".
Expressing that babies born preterm might experience many complications such as having trouble breathing due to an immature respiratory system, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ceyhun Dalkan stated that being born too early can cause short-term and long-term health problems that require specialized care provided by doctors and a specialized team with training in taking care of preterm babies. "As Near East University Hospital and Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital, we took the first step towards launching the Prematurity Forest project this year. We are planning to make it traditional in the coming years. That's why we are planting a sapling for each preterm baby today. We are planting these saplings by wishing that our children will grow-up, root and develop as physically and neurologically independent individuals like these saplings. We wish that this forest will be a breath for them and all of us" noted he.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Seyhan Oygucu: "All babies born at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy need Specialized Hands and Fully-Equipped Neonatal Intensive Care Units".
Delivering a speech at the event, Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital Pediatrics and Neonatal Specialist Asst. Prof. Dr. Seyhan Oygucu underlined that preterm babies, especially the ones born at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy, were in need of specialized care in fully equipped neonatal intensive care units. "“Premature babies can catch their peers physically and mentally with specialized care provided by the newborn physician and newborn intensive care nurses and continue their lives as completely normal individuals” said he.
