The Kokrokoo Charities Foundation has donated an incubator to the Lekzokuku Municipal (LEKMA) Hospital in Accra yesterday under its “Project 100 incubators” initiative.
At an estimated cost of $10,000, the equipment is expected to advance pre-term care at the facility to reduce neonatal deaths across the country.
With an estimated 140,000 children born premature in Ghana every year of which more than 8,000 die before their 30th day, the Foundation is seeking to raise funds to purchase 100 incubators to equip Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in various health facilities.
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The General Manager of HPI-GEVAQ Ghana Limited, Reverend Gabriel Quain, presenting the incubator to hospital management explained that the company partnered with the foundation on the project under its corporate social responsibility.
He said despite its interest in the oil and gas sector, the selection of LEKMA was to spread the company’s tentacles to touching the lives of others outside its area of operation.
“We actually bought two incubators for the foundation so we are donating one here and the other to Dixcove Government Hospital which is within our area of operation because the needs assessment of both hospitals fell in line with our CSR target for the year,” he stated.
Rev. Quain called on other corporate organisations to support the foundation to achieve its goal by taking up CSR activities in critical areas of the economy like health.
The Medical Superintendent of LEKMA, Dr Akua Gyimah-Asante, expressed gratitude to the Kokrokoo Charities and its partners for the incubator which she admitted would go a long way to reduce neonatal deaths at the hospital.
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“An incubator is an important equipment needed to maintain temperature of preterm babies and promote their survival beyond the neonatal period.
This is a very useful equipment that it is coming in at this time to augment what we already have and we are privileged to be considered among the beneficiaries on this project.”
Dr Gyimah-Asante noted that the hospital received and recorded a number of babies born before the 37 weeks of complete pregnancy and was one of the major causes of neonatal deaths.
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“We have a lot of these cases coming in and one of the causes of preterm death is prematurity so equipment like this incubator will help survival and reduce our mortality rate,” she stated.
Mr Dennis Adutwum, the Programmes Director of Kokrokoo Charities Foundation pointed out that out of the target of 100, 51 incubators have so far been distributed across the country.
“Currently, we have about 10 incubators in the pipeline that we are seeking to hand over so we are on course. Hopefully by 2024, we should meet our 100 target.”
Mr Adutwum appealed to individuals and corporate institutions to support the Foundation in reaching its goal and beyond to help improve child health in Ghana.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
