Philanthropist supports Sunyani Hospital baby unit

A Philanthropist, Ms Amma Frimpomaa, has presented a set of baby items to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Sunyani Regional Hospital in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The items include an Infant Phototherapy machine, electric baby scale, baby diapers and wipes, baby feed and blankets.

Ms Frimpomaa said she was moved to make the donation by the bad conditions at the unit when her younger sister was delivered of a baby at the hospital in July 2015.

She subsequently decided to rally some friends to support her get the items to donate to the hospital as part of her birthday celebration this year.

“On July 15, 2015, my younger sister had a set of twins at the Regional Hospital in Sunyani. One of the twins, which we unfortunately lost, was sent to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). My sister was, therefore, admitted at the unit. On a visit to her ward, I saw scenes that broke my heart,” she recounted.

She added that there were young girls who had either given birth to pre-term babies or babies with some deformity that could not afford even baby wipes to clean their children up. Some could not buy baby feed for their new born babies.”

She explained that upon some enquiries at the hospital, it came to light that the hospital needed an Infant Phototherapy machine used to treat babies born with jaundice.

“Even though the hospital is a referral one, they had only one of such machines. They relied on some three aprotech ones they had invented themselves. The doctors, however, told me that a lot of babies die from jaundice than any other ailment at the hospital,” she said.

With the frequency of babies born with jaundice, the hospital had no choice but to keep two, sometimes three, babies in one machine, which is not a healthy practice as it could spread infections among the babies.

“I decided that instead of my friends giving me presents for my birthday, they should support me to buy items for the mother and baby unit of the hospital,” she added.