Health
Preterm babies: Access to equipment, specialists key to survival — Haven Pediatric CMD
The Chief Medical Director of Haven Pediatric Practice, a private child-centred clinic in Lagos, Dr Adegbajo Odedina, has identified the availability of medical equipment, timely diagnosis, early referral and skilled child health professionals as critical to the survival of premature babies in Nigeria.
Odedina noted that the risk of preterm babies dying from infections and respiratory problems was higher when intervention was delayed and specialist care was unavailable.
The CMD said timely intervention and specialist care, which Haven was established to provide with world-class equipment, could give preterm babies and newborns with certain health conditions a higher chance of survival and better treatment outcomes.
“Babies referred early generally have better outcomes and fewer complications than those transferred after prolonged delays,” he said.
Speaking at a virtual meeting with journalists on the various medical interventions provided by Haven Pediatric Practice to curb needless and preventable infant deaths in Nigeria, the consultant paediatrician stated that the government could not solve all the problems alone.
The neonatologist noted that preterm babies often face several health challenges due to underdeveloped lungs, making it difficult for them to breathe effectively on their own.
He said they therefore require quality care and world-class equipment to survive.
According to the World Health Organisation, preterm birth refers to babies born alive before 37 completed weeks of gestation.
The WHO classifies preterm births into three categories: extremely preterm, less than 28 weeks; very preterm, 28 to less than 32 weeks; and moderate to late preterm, 32 to less than 37 weeks.
“Babies may be born preterm because of spontaneous preterm labour or because there is a medical indication to plan an induction of labour or caesarean birth early,” it added.
No fewer than 280,000 Nigerian newborns die within the first 28 days of life due to complications associated with prematurity, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate.
Pate disclosed the alarming figure in Abuja during a briefing to commemorate the 2025 World Pneumonia and Prematurity Days.
Nigeria currently ranks third globally in the number of preterm births, after India and Pakistan, and also has one of the highest under-five mortality rates in the world.
Odedina said the children’s hospital was established to provide specialist and timely care for preterm babies at an affordable cost and prevent avoidable deaths.
He identified poor access to quality antenatal care, delayed intervention during labour and inadequate postnatal services as major drivers of the high number of newborn deaths in Nigeria.
He, however, emphasised that the numbers could be reversed through early intervention.
“The earlier the child gets to Haven, the better the chances of survival because we have the skilled professionals, we have the equipment there, and there is laboratory support. So, the chances of survival are better.
“Just like we have in other medical conditions, prompt diagnosis and treatment save lives,” he said.
Giving insight into the various child health services provided at the facility, the CMD said Haven not only cared for premature babies but also provided specialist care for children with specific conditions and complications at birth.
“We also do a lot of detailed counselling.
“We see a lot of children with behavioural disorders, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, children with diabetes, children with holes in the heart, children with growth problems, children with seizures, etc.
“We have done a lot within a year. We have over 1,500 patients from our registration,” he said.
The child health expert said Haven provides affordable healthcare to children irrespective of their status or location, stressing that the hospital’s location in Ikeja GRA did not affect the affordability of its services.
The paediatrician clarified, “But we feel that we are not getting to the community, and I think our major problem is the perception that being in Ikeja GRA is an expensive place. That is a notion that I would like to correct because the government cannot solve everything.
“We are there to support whatever the government is doing and improvise solutions. We want Nigeria to be excluded from the list of countries with high infant death rates in the world.”
Continuing, Odedina said, “We have a world-class facility and a welcoming place.
“At Haven, we provide a range of paediatric services designed to meet the unique health needs of children—from infancy through adolescence. We deliver high-quality, compassionate paediatric care in a child-centred environment that supports every stage of your child’s growth and development.”
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