Health
Babies Matter wins UK award for neonatal care excellence
A Lagos State-based neonatal hospital, Babies Matter Medical Centre, has been recognised by the LUXlife Parent and Baby Awards 2026 in the United Kingdom as the Best Advanced Neonatal Care Centre 2026 – Nigeria.
The BMMC also received the Preterm Infant Medicine Excellence Award 2026, in recognition of its contribution to specialist neonatal intensive care.
The double honour marks a significant milestone for the neonatal hospital, which has become a referral centre for the care of premature and critically ill newborns.
Reacting to the awards in a statement made available to PUNCH Healthwise on Sunday, the Co-Founder of Babies Matter Medical Centre, Dr. Zainab Mudasiru, said the recognition reinforces the importance of timely specialist intervention for vulnerable newborns.
“At Babies Matter, every minute counts. We have seen babies born too early, too sick, or too small go home simply because they received the right care within the first two hours after birth.
“These tiny survivors stand as living proof of what expert intervention, timely referral, and advanced neonatal care can achieve,” she said.
Mudasiru called on obstetricians, maternity hospitals, IVF clinics, and surrogacy agencies to strengthen referral pathways for high-risk pregnancies.
She stressed that prompt access to specialist neonatal care can significantly improve survival and long-term health outcomes for premature babies.
“Delays in accessing proper neonatal support often lead to complications, disabilities, or death – outcomes that can be prevented with swift action.
“Obstetricians, IVF clinics, surrogacy agencies, and maternity hospitals should establish early referral pathways, and where possible, our neonatal team should be present,” she said.
Meanwhile, as part of the recognition, BMMC will also feature on the front cover of the forthcoming LUXlife magazine, highlighting its growing international profile.
For the BMMC team, Mudasiru said the awards represent more than professional recognition.
“They celebrate the resilience of premature babies who fought for survival, the courage of families who entrusted the hospital with their newborns, and the commitment of doctors, nurses, and support staff whose round-the-clock care has helped give many babies a second chance at life,” the BMMC co-founder said.
According to her, since opening its doors in November 2023, the specialist hospital has successfully cared for more than 161 premature babies, including infants born as early as 25 weeks of gestation and weighing as little as 520 grammes.
She noted that the milestone reflects the centre’s growing expertise in managing some of the most complex neonatal cases in Nigeria.
Mudasiru explained that one of those survivors is among a pair of twins born at just 25 weeks’ gestation whose parents described Babies Matter as “nothing short of a lifeline” during the babies’ 78-day stay in the neonatal intensive care unit.
According to her, the family recalled that the doctors and nurses cared for the twins as if they were their own, helping them through one of the most difficult periods of their lives.
“After the twins were transferred safely to the United Kingdom at 36 weeks with medical support arranged by Babies Matter, the parent said doctors in the UK confirmed that the babies had received exceptional care in Nigeria, noting that everything had been done correctly and that nothing more could have been done.
“The international recognition underscores Babies Matter Medical Centre’s commitment to advancing neonatal care in Nigeria and demonstrates that babies born too soon or too sick can receive world-class treatment close to home when timely referrals are matched with specialist expertise,” she said.
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