Coimbatore : Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH) here today observed the World Prematurity Day to improve the awareness for the millions of children born premature every year.

November 17 has become one of the most important days of the year to highlight the challenges and burden of preterm babies, as approximately one in 10 babies are born preterm.

In about half of these pre-terms the cause of prematurity is unknown and though rapid advances have been achieved in managing premature babies, these babies have a huge vulnerability to various complications.

But with the latest management techniques and advances, all these complications have been minimized.

Managing these pre-terms, especially extreme premature babies is a huge challenge to all medical staff involving Neonatologist, Pediatricians, Pediatric surgeon, Ophthalmologist, Nursing staff, Occupational therapist, Pharmacist and all other medical personnel.

The survival rate of preterm babies varies in each country and in each hospital and management of these babies also varies in each country and in hospital.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at KMCH has one of the most advanced tertiary care unit, where babies born as early as 24 weeks and weighing as low as 500 grams are being managed with good outcome, comparable to many international neonatal Intensive Care Units.

Speaking on the occasion KMCH Chairman Dr. Nalla G. Palaniswami, said the hospital takes utmost care of premature babies and their mothers as it is equipped with state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit, the service of which is comparable to the best in the world.

A dedicated team of experts with specialization in handling and managing premature babies, offer their services round the clock to save the precious lives of infants.