Doris Mollel Foundation Backs Charity Run to Improve Care for Premature Babies

What the report says

A charity run in Uganda is raising money to improve care for premature babies at Bukwo and Amuria General Hospitals, according to Nile Post. The event is being organised by the Uganda Neonatal Nurses Association and supported by the Doris Mollel Foundation, with the campaign tied to Prematurity Awareness Month in November.

The reported goal is to secure five Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, or CPAP, machines for the two hospitals and to provide training and mentorship for health workers. CPAP devices are used to help premature babies with breathing problems keep their airways open. The article says the initiative is aimed at facilities where limited access to specialised newborn care equipment has affected survival and quality of care.

Nile Post reports that the campaign comes amid wider concern about prematurity in Uganda, with medical experts saying babies born before 37 weeks face higher risks of breathing difficulty, feeding problems, temperature instability and infection. The article cites a consultant neonatologist who said prematurity remains a major public health issue and that better equipment and staff skills are important to improving outcomes.

Uganda Neonatal Nurses Association president Judith Atucungwire said the effort builds on last year’s charity run, which supported three other hospitals. The Doris Mollel Foundation said stronger collaboration among health institutions, government, partners and communities is needed to reduce deaths linked to premature birth.