NLA prioritizes pediatric care by donating incubator to HopeXchange Hospital

The National Lottery Authority (NLA) has decided to commit resources to improve pediatric health care in the country, assured Mr. Sammy Awuku, the chief executive.

The aim, he said, was to minimize the incidence of child mortality as the country seeks to achieve the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by 2030.

The goal is to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five by the said date, with all United Nations (UN) member countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least 12 percent 1,000 live births and under-five mortality to at least 25 per 1,000 live births.

In 2019, the infant mortality rate in Ghana was around 33.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the Ghana Health Service.

Mr. Awuku, in a speech read on his behalf by Mrs. Ama Frimpong, Deputy Coordinator of the “Foundation for Good Causes” of the ALN, the charitable arm of the Authority, during a donation ceremony at the HopeXchange Hospital in Santasi, said the leadership was focused on realizing the ALN’s vision.

The program saw the ANL donate an incubator and its accessories to the hospital, which is intended to care for premature babies by ensuring they have the best possible environment and continuous monitoring.

The medical equipment is designed to act as a second womb to protect a baby born prematurely and provide the optimal conditions for its development.

Mr. Awuku said that in the field of health, the Foundation pays due attention to infrastructural support, training of mental health workers, hospital supplies and medical interventions.

The CEO of the ALN said the Foundation’s mission is to spearhead the authority’s corporate social responsibility as well as support its quest to create shared value that binds all parties stakeholders.

Mr. Joseph Dasah, Ashanti Director of the NLA, said the leaders would not hesitate to liaise with civil society organizations and other development partners to chart a course for the country’s accelerated growth. .

Dr Adoma Odame, senior specialist pediatrician at HopeXchange Hospital, said babies born prematurely may need more time to develop their lungs and other vital organs.

Therefore, he commended the NLA for supporting the facility to save babies born prematurely.

“In addition to climate control, an incubator provides the baby with protection from allergens, germs, excessive noise and light levels that could cause harm,” she told GNA in an interview on the sidelines of the program.