Innovations for Babies in Belize
UNICEF donates devices to support newborn care
Did you know that 50% of newborn baby deaths recorded are caused by prematurity? Every newborn deserves a HEALTHY start!
Ensuring premature babies can survive and thrive and have the best start in life, requires high quality specialized care. UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and all health facilities in Belize, to have equitable access to the innovative technologies available to support babies born too soon.
Today, the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH) was the first to receive their donation of critical newborn care devises to support their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in managing the care for premature babies in their NICU.
The devices donated will equip the NICU, with state-of-the-art technologies developed by BEMPU, to monitor baby's breathing, reduce their risk of hypothermia and sleep apnea and promote skin-to-skin contact that has significant health benefits for babies born too soon.
UNICEF has invested in providing devices to all regional health facilities and today’s donation is a first delivery in a series to be made countrywide. It is also a complement to the vision of the Belize Newborn Action Plan 2024-2030, developed by the Ministry of Health & Wellness with UNICEF’s support and funding from the Republic of Korea, to establish national principles and interventions that are critical to newborn survival.
The donation included:
- 525 Temperature watch
- 49 Kanga Sling
- 35 Belly Button devices
- 16 Apnea Boot
UNICEF Representative for Belize, Alison Parker and Health and Nutrition Specialist, Dr. Olusola Oladeji, handed over the equipment to the KHMH Quality Assurance Department. UNICEF will continue to prioritize support to the health facilities to decrease the mortality rates and ensure children are born safely and given the necessary interventions to set them on a path for a long and healthy life.
