Prematurity Day: Celine Dion lends her voice in support of World Prematurity Day and joins with African Celebrity Ambassadors

By Lucy Wanjiru

  Premature Birth is a hidden crisis. The tragic facts are that a baby dies every second across the Globe.15 million babies are born each year to preterm birth and over 1 million babies die each year, 75 percent of which could be saved. Undeniably, statistics taken from the latest research in the Born Too Soon Report launched in May 2012 show that more babies unfortunately die from Premature Birth than from Aids and Malaria. Country-by-country data on estimated change in preterm birth rates from 1990 to 2010 - number of live births; number of preterm births; rank by number of preterm births; deaths from complications of preterm birth; rank by number of deaths from complications of preterm birth - present a clear picture of this global problem 

Thus, premature birth and its complications is irrefutably a global crisis that cannot be ignored and is highest on our African continent. From Nigeria to Ghana, to Sierra Leone, to Senegal to Togo to Ethiopia to Malawi to Zimbabwe the figures remain distressingly high. Prematurity in effect does not discriminate and can affect any one regardless of their economic or personal circumstances. Fighting the mortality rates arising from pre-term birth requires everyone’s  attention in harnessing the collective  power of  all nations to move governments to priorities better  support of  the neonatal healthcare sector, better education of  medical professionals  and the provision of desperately needed neonatal care equipment and low resource life-saving intervention measures  such as Kangaroo care to improve the care and survival of pregnant women and babies born too early to premature birth on the Africa continent and globally.

Little Big Souls further analysis is that cultural misconceptions of pre-term birth greatly negatively impact on the care of premature babies. It is imperative that negative practices and views are completely eradicated through the education of the general populace through advocacy measures and literature on prematurity and its causes and management. A premature baby is simply a tiny baby out too early, born too soon that needs the best available care and support to have a chance of survival.

Little Big Souls as one of the Founders of World Prematurity Day is proud to advocate on this great initiative on honouring babies born too early and in giving a voice to voiceless families affected by pre-term birth to share their stories, celebrate their miracles and help in changing the care and perception of prematurity and the terribly high death rates it claims daily.

Across Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, through Europe, the USA, Australia and China, medical professionals families and the general public will be simultaneously joining hands to honor the 15 million babies that are born each year prematurely. In Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and Egypt, Little Big Souls International Charitable Foundation and its Little Big Souls Network will mark World Prematurity Day with its Every Breath Counts campaign and Walk for Love, Walk for Babies that will be held in Accra, in Abuja and in Egypt and South Africa.

Further with the incredible partnership and support of Draeger and BabyFirst, Little Big Souls International Charitable Foundation will be donating vital neonatal equipment to chosen hospitals in Nigeria and launching the Little Big Souls - Draeger Jaundice Program to help support the fight against jaundice and other neonatal infections. Wonderfully this year International Celebrity and Grammy and multiple award winning artist Celine Dion lends her voice in support of World Prematurity Day and joins with African Celebrity Ambassadors such as MTV Award winning artist Tuface, award winning and legendary Nollywood actors Francis Duru and Ejike Asiegbu who wonderfully stand to make a life saving difference against the mortality rates of pre-term babies on the African continent and globally. Around the world everyone can join us in making a difference in wearing purple, joining the events happening in your countries and share experiences on Little Big Souls.com or world prematurity Facebook page. Help Save a Tiny Life.