COOUTH Boosts Newborn Survival With Critical Breathing Support Equipment
The Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku, Awka, has strengthened its capacity to manage newborns with breathing difficulties through the availability of critical respiratory support equipment at its Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
The intervention came into focus during a recent facility tour of the hospital by the First Lady of Anambra State, Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo, who inspected the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine deployed at the SCBU.
The CPAP machine provides continuous positive airway pressure through a specialised interface to help keep a newborn’s airways open, improve oxygenation and support babies experiencing respiratory distress.
For premature, fragile or critically ill newborns, timely respiratory support can be crucial, particularly when breathing difficulties threaten their survival.
Dr. Mrs. Soludo commended the Chief Medical Director of COOUTH, Dr. Maureen Uche Umeakuewulu, for the improvements recorded at the hospital within her relatively short period in office, particularly efforts aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and improving the hospital environment for both patients and healthcare professionals.
The availability of the CPAP machine is part of a broader equipment-acquisition drive under the current administration of the hospital, which is focused on improving access to essential medical equipment and strengthening clinical services.
Within her first six months in office, Dr. Umeakuewulu has also facilitated the provision of several other medical equipment, including a diathermy machine, manual suction machines, pulse oximeters, infant radiant warmers, laryngoscopes, infusion pumps, EEG and ECG machines, as well as laboratory analysers, among others.
The interventions, according to the hospital management, are designed to strengthen COOUTH’s capacity to provide timely, safe and effective care across different clinical departments.
Beyond physical infrastructure and equipment, the CMD’s administration is also pursuing a broader institutional vision of positioning COOUTH as a Centre of Excellence anchored on three key pillars: clinical expertise, research and training.
The approach seeks to ensure that investment in medical infrastructure and equipment is matched by continuous professional development, research, innovation and evidence-based clinical practice.
At the Special Care Baby Unit, the significance of that approach is particularly profound.
For newborns who struggle to breathe, the availability of appropriate equipment and trained healthcare professionals can determine how quickly they receive the support they need.
The ongoing transformation at COOUTH, therefore, goes beyond buildings and equipment. It is about building the institutional capacity to respond effectively when lives are most vulnerable—and giving the hospital’s smallest patients a stronger chance of survival.
