Miracle Survival: Improved Care Rescues Preterm Baby in Uganda

Miracle Baby: Enhanced Quality of Care at Facilities Rescues Newborn Lives

Every time my phone rang, I thought it was to tell me she had passed away, says Fredrick Gume as he and his wife Margaret nod in mutual remembrance. The couple speaks of their daughter, Baby Miracle, who fought agnst all odds for survival after undergoing intensive care at the Kiboga Hospital's neonatal unit followed by Hoima Regional Referral Hospital RRH.

Six months into her pregnancy, Margaret experienced premature labor which led to her delivery at six months gestation. At birth, Baby Miracle weighed only 1.2 kilograms and upon seeing her, Fredrick felt a wave of hopelessness; she was so small that she could fit in his palm.

Sr. Namuddu Florence, the maternity ward supervisor at Kiboga Hospital, recounts that the baby suffered from breathing problems due to her low birth weight. She was placed on oxygen support and remned in an infant warmer for 24 hours before being referred to Hoima RRH for advanced medical attention. A midwife accompanied them during their journey.

Dr. Tom Ediamu, a senior consultant pediatrician at Hoima RRH, s that Baby Miracle had respiratory issues upon admission, was jaundiced due to dehydration, and weighed an alarmingly low 800 grams. She was admitted to the neonatal care unit for intensive treatment as the mother underwent her post-operation care in the postnatal ward.

The separation from their baby was emotionally taxing on Margaret but the healthcare workers at Hoima RRH encouraged them with hope and reassurance that she would survive. Each time I heard my phone ringing, I thought it might be informing me about Baby Miracle's passing, says Margaret recalling her emotional state during those days. But after three days of intensive care, Margaret was discharged from Kiboga Hospital and reunited with her baby in the neonatal unit.

The infant had made remarkable progress and gradually responded to treatment. She began breathing normally, was taken off oxygen support, started breastfeeding due to Margaret's efforts, and gned weight over time. On her discharge after eight weeks at Hoima RRH, she weighed 1.8 kilograms. Two weeks later, she weighed 2.5 kilograms and by May, the baby reached a healthy weight of 3.5 kilograms.

To Fredrick and Margaret, Baby Miracle's survival was nothing short of miraculous; in their words, it was a testament to improvements within Uganda's healthcare system following partnerships between the Ministry of Health, University Research Co URC, Save the Children's Saving Newborn Lives initiative, and other organizations. Before this miracle happened, Fredrick points out, it was almost impossible for premature infants born at around 25 weeks weighing just 1.2 kilogra survive.

The survival story of Baby Miracle represents a significant shift in healthcare practices across twelve facilities within the Regional Learning Network RLN pilot initiative that has significantly enhanced their capacity and capability to offer quality care to mothers and newborns.

Blog by Richard Mayanja

Richard Mayanja serves as a knowledge management advocacy coordinator at Save the Children's Saving Newborn Lives program in Uganda, a role that involves overseeing efforts towards ensuring the survival and thriving of infants through evidence-based interventions.

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