LittleBigSouls Ghana has illuminated the National Theatre in Accra in a striking purple glow to mark World Prematurity Day, drawing national attention to the urgent need for improved neonatal care as thousands of premature babies continue to lose their lives to preventable causes.
The ceremony, held on Monday, November 17 at 5 pm, highlighted the scale of Ghana’s prematurity burden, where an estimated 128,000 babies are born too soon each year and around 9,000 die due to inadequate care.
The purple lighting symbolised both remembrance and a rallying cry. According to LittleBigSouls Ghana, the move was intended to spark public awareness and push for policy action to protect the one in ten Ghanaian babies born prematurely. Speaking during the ceremony, Edith Uyovbukerhi, Co-founder and Executive Director of LittleBigSouls Ghana, said the display carried a deeper meaning beyond its visual impact.
“Lighting up the National Theatre is more than just a beautiful display; it is a visible call to action,” she said. “We want every Ghanaian to see this iconic landmark in purple and think about the tiny lives fighting for a chance at survival. This is a national issue requiring our collective effort.”
The organisation announced that its efforts would extend beyond Accra as it prepares for a major outreach mission in Northern Ghana from November 20 to 23, 2025. A team from LittleBigSouls Ghana will visit the Yendi Municipal Hospital and the Tamale Teaching Hospital to deliver essential neonatal equipment, consumables and staff training. The initiative aims to strengthen lifesaving care in regions where access to specialised neonatal support remains limited. According to the organisation, the outreach is part of its long-standing commitment to ensuring that premature babies across the country, not only in major hospitals, receive the support necessary to survive.
LittleBigSouls Ghana’s advocacy and interventions are rooted in a two-decade-long mission that began in 2003 following the tragic loss of the founders’ premature daughter. Since then, the organisation has become one of the continent’s leading voices for neonatal health and a founding member of World Prematurity Day. Over the years, it has donated lifesaving equipment to neonatal units nationwide, trained more than 100 healthcare workers annually since 2017 and provided emotional support, Kangaroo Mother Care training and educational assistance to over 500 NICU families.
The organisation’s recent interventions include the donation of four oxygen concentrators valued at GHC 28,000 to the Tamale Teaching Hospital, St. Patrick’s Hospital in Offinso and the Assin Praso District Hospital in November 2024. These machines offer critical respiratory support to premature babies whose lungs are often underdeveloped. The donation was facilitated through a partnership with Rotarians Born in November, who funded and procured the equipment before entrusting LittleBigSouls Ghana with its delivery and installation.
Beyond oxygen concentrators, LittleBigSouls Ghana has over the years donated brand new incubators, refurbished Kangaroo Mother Care units, and supplied other essential equipment and consumables to facilities including Tarkwa Municipal Hospital, Effa Nkwantan and Tema General Hospital.
As the National Theatre’s purple glow fades, LittleBigSouls Ghana says the message remains clear: improving neonatal care must become a national priority. The organisation believes that with coordinated effort, increased investment and public awareness, thousands of premature babies born every year can be given a fighting chance at life.
