30 November 2023 – The National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network (AUB NCPNN), in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) and UNICEF, is making important strides in enhancing new child care in Lebanon. As a part of the Newborn Care Project, Baalbeck Governmental Hospital has been recognized as one of many 4 Peripheral Governmental Hospitals receiving assist to strengthen neonatal care companies.

The focus of this initiative is the newly established Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Baalbeck Governmental Hospital. Following meticulous assessments, hole analyses, and capacity-building efforts facilitated by the MOPH, UNICEF, and AUB NCPNN, this venture goals to raise the usual of neonatal care and handle the challenges recognized within the system.

Minister of Health, Dr. Firas Abyad, mentioned: “I am pleased to inaugurate this project in Baalbek Governmental Hospital, related to premature babies, especially since government hospitals lack departments that provide this service.” He identified that “the Intensive Care Unit for newborns and premature babies is not just about incubators, devices and equipment, but rather requires the presence of skilled staff. Hence the importance of the special training and educational program that includes 4 governmental hospitals: Baalbek, Zahle, Tripoli and Halba.”

In conjunction with this occasion, the consortium is launching the 2023 Report on Newborn Survival in Lebanon. The report sheds mild on the regarding development of deteriorating neonatal care, affecting years of progress in new child outcomes and outcomes within the nation with an increase in neonatal mortality to roughly 1040 new child deaths in 2022.

“The ongoing economic challenges and the departure of healthcare providers are now giving rise to a concerning increase in neonatal mortality,” mentioned Edouard Beigbeder UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. “We reaffirm our commitment to enhance the quality and accessibility of newborn care by improving the quality of care at the neonatal intensive care units in rural hospitals, the data quality and to scale up the generation of national evidence to minimize newborn mortalities and morbidities”.

Dr. Khaled Younis head of pediatrics and neonatology division at AUBMC, reveals that “the peripheral hospitals in the country are facing a series of challenges, including critical staff shortages, limited access to benefits, inadequate training, financial constraints, the absence of standardized policies, and a lack of essential equipment. These challenges pose significant risks to the health outcomes of newborns and raise medicolegal concerns” he additionally careworn “the importance of monitoring and accountability, and to encourage new graduates to work in the peripheral health centers and hospitals”

The complete report key findings underscore the pressing want for bettering well being companies by way of the institution of cost-effective NICUs in rural amenities, the promotion of Kangaroo Care (KC) inside NICU care, prioritizing major well being care (PHC) as the muse of well being companies, and fostering elevated collaboration between central and peripheral hospital NICUs.

Additionally, the report recommends the event of standardized nationwide tips and insurance policies for high quality new child care, the environment friendly utilization of restricted funding, and the technology and use of knowledge to information the well being system. This collaborative effort displays a dedication to the well-being of newborns in Lebanon. By addressing the recognized challenges and implementing the outlined suggestions, the consortium goals to create a sustainable and sturdy neonatal care system for the long run.