The Doctor was very nervous

 Her cries filled the room, Angel felt a sense of relieve thinking her daughter was very much okay due too the fact that it wasn’t on the time too bring forth her baby.

He told her “We need too take her too the emergency room” The doctor told angel and immediately Angels mind began too wander. After the alarm cooled down she thought everything would be fine ,but unfortunately in the span of 28 days the babies new home was cut down too a short visit and she was later declared a neonate.

Some don’t get that long and behind every number describing neonatal mortality is a baby who never got too discover what being alive could feel like.

Angels baby is just one case study but everyday millions of babies around the world only get a glimpse of their new homes that glimpse can last a few minutes, a few days, a few hours .

 After making my findings and research on this global issue it has come too my concern that due too recent global estimates for 2024 preterm birth is the largest cause of neonatal mortality, estimated around 820,000 neonatal deaths which is a lot of figures but there are also many different causes including intrapartum complications like birth asphyxia which means theres not enough oxygen passing that a baby could receive during childbirth putting the baby under extreme fatigue and exhaustion

TWENTY EIGHT DAYS

The first twenty eights is more or less the defining factor a babies stay on earth and its quite saddening that realistically anything can contribute too a high rate in neonatal mortality, from premature births too medical conditions it’s a large list for just a small being . Looking at how high the rate of this condition is globally it got me thinking about how the defining factors take effect in just the course of a time span that doesn’t actually lead up too a month , we have a baby struggling too breathe which can eventually lead the child to an ICU instead of spending quality time with its mom that quality time is allocated too isolation in medical room which is quite devastating, its not just about a child struggling too breathe there are many other conditions that contribute too this. Some arrive too early. Some develop severe conditions. Some experience complications during labor and birth while some are born with conditions that require immediate medical attention.

In 2024, 2.3 million babies died globally. That means almost half of the deaths among children under five happened in the first 28 days of life.

This is not just a statistic it’s a baby who once had a heartbeat. A name for them and a life planned ahead.

THE BABY WASN’T BORN WITH A FAIR CHANCE

Reminiscing on it, Not every child is born with the chance of survival.

This is where geographical, Economical and social factors play a role in this

One baby may be born in a facility with trained professionals reliable electricity, oxygen, medicines and neonatal equipment. Another may be born somewhere where basic supplies are limited. One mother may live minutes away from emergency care. Another may have to travel hours. One family may be able to afford transportation and treatment.

 A mother may recognize that her baby's breathing is abnormal and immediately seek help   Another may not know that poor feeding, difficulty breathing, fever or unusual sleepiness could be signs of serious illness. The babies are not different in their worth. Their circumstances are and that is what makes neonatal mortality more than a medical issue. It is a public-health issue. It is an issue of access

This all boils down too the fact that healthcare plays a major role in the increased number of neonatal deaths we witness.

WE CAN SAVE MANY OF THEM

 Perhaps the most painful part of neonatal mortality is that many newborn deaths are preventable. We know what helps. The quality antenatal care matters. skilled birth attendance matters. newborns need warmth, clean care, breastfeeding support and monitoring the infections can be treated, premature babies can be supported. We know that referral systems matter. healthcare workers need the training, equipment and resources to do their jobs.

The question is no longer simply:

Do we know what to do? The question is: Can every baby access it when they need it

LET THE BABY  STAY

The baby arrived with an entire life ahead of it but sometimes, the world around that baby was not prepared to protect it and when that happens, the loss is bigger than a number, a mother returning home with an empty pair of arms which leads too psychological trauma, a name that will no longer be called, a future that will never happen, a photograph that becomes a memory a little too soon, the baby couldn't enjoy its stay, but perhaps our responsibility is to make sure that the next baby can, that means building healthcare systems that don't wait for emergencies before they respond.It means making lifesaving newborn care available to every baby not only those born in the right place  to the right family, with the right resources. Because a newborn doesn't know whether it was born into poverty or wealth..

When a baby arrives in this world, perhaps the least we can do is make sure the world is ready to say:

Stay.