The first 24 hours of a child's life are the most dangerous, with more than one million babies dying each year on their first and only day of life: The day a child is born should be a time of joy, yet it is the first days of life that carry the highest risk of death for the newborn.
Some statistics about Newborns
Did you know that:
• 1 million newborns die on their first- and only – day of life.
• 1.2 million additional stillbirths occur during labour.
• Newborns now account for more than 4 in 10 under-age-5 child deaths.
• 40 million women give birth every year without a health worker present.
• 2 million women give birth alone.
In many communities around the world, newborn deaths are so commonplace that children are not even named until they survive their first month of life – the neonatal, or newborn, period.
What can we do?
Newborn care is not only a health issue. All hands need to be on deck. To achieve change we need;
• To bring newborn care to the fore.
• A change in policy, practice, setting, behavior, attitude, thinking and strategy for keeping as many babies as possible alive. We are;
• Calling on leaders, political, social, traditional leaders, and international organizations including the public, corporate bodies, individuals, groups, associations, societies Mothers, fathers and families of newborns in the Region to reach out for newborns.
We are asking for:
• A policy change and/or implementation,
• Behavior change
• Resources: Money, incubators, time, suction bulbs, blankets, KMC corners, capacity, resuscitation tables, autoclaves, and all others to keep every baby alive.
Be a Newborn Champion
By transforming children's lives now, we change the course of their future and ours!
Source:RHPU/BAR
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