Santo Domingo.- The Angel Smile Foundation benefited from the delivery of special kits to 252 premature and low birth weight babies, belonging to families in vulnerable situations treated in Kangaroo Mother programs in twelve tertiary hospitals, spread across ten provinces and municipalities in the country.
The kits included disposable diapers, wet cloths, canola oilvitamins E, sanitary towelsbreastfeeding protectors, special clothing and hats for babies, blankets, bottles of water, juices and cookies. Likewise, the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) They received diapers for admitted babies.
Likewise, for the outpatient consultation areas and Kangaroo Accommodation Room they got ready medications and inputs as Order, folic acid, vitamin A and A+D, mefenamic acid, ferrous sulfate, vitamins E in pearls, ferrous sulphate and folic aciddisposable gloves, gowns and masks, as well as Unimnap Unicef multivitamin for nursing and pregnant mothers.
The impacted premature babies receive medical follow-up at the San Lorenzo de Los Mina Maternal and Child hospitals, in Santo Domingo Este; Doctor Reynaldo Almánzar, in Santo Domingo Norte; Regional Dr. Marcelino Vélez Santana and Dr. Vinicio Calventi, in Santo Domingo Oeste; as well as the Maternal Doctor Evangelina Rodríguez (Hospital De La Mujer), the Pediatric Doctor Robert Reid Cabral and the Nuestra Señora De La Altagracia Maternity Hospital, in the National District.
In the southern region, the initiative benefited the Regional General Jaime Mota hospitals, in Barahona, and Doctor Juan Pablo Pina, in San Cristóbal. Meanwhile, in the northern region, it impacted pediatric patients at the San Vicente de Paúl Hospital, in San Francisco de Macorís. In the eastern region, the collaboration was extended to the Ángel Contreras hospitals, in Monte Plata, and Doctor Antonio Musa, in San Pedro de Macorís.
Seven years serving premature babies
Fundación Sonrisa de Ángel celebrated its seventh anniversary with a special day of delivery of kits, talk and prayer for premature babies and their mothers; as well as for pregnant teenagers, carried out in the San Lorenzo de Los Mina Maternal Hospital. During the day, household appliances were also raffled among the participating mothers.
The program included a talk about the importance of Kangaroo Care and early stimulation for the neurodevelopment of babies, led by Dr. Cleotilde Matos, pediatric neonatologist, expert in the aforementioned method.
During the event, Dustin Muñoz, vice president of the foundation, accompanied by volunteers, presented recognitions to seven allied entities, including Industrias Sael, the Health Pastoral of the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, the Kangaroo Mother Program of the aforementioned hospital, the Generatio Nova Cooperative, the Emmaus Women Brotherhood and the San José Obrero Parish.
The activity had the support of Martín Ortiz, Maternal, Child and Adolescent director of the National Health Service (SNS); Roberto Nina, immediate past president of the Dominican Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology; hospital authorities; Sister Trinidad Ayala Adames, general coordinator of Health Pastoral Care; business and church representatives; as well as the hospital staff and volunteers of the foundation.
The conference also had the support of the Pharma Consulting Team, the Essential Medicines Program and Central Logistics Support (Promese/Cal), as well as citizens, families and the Dominican diaspora.
Commemorative program with specialized event
Fundación Sonrisa de Ángel expanded the kit delivery days as part of the commemorative program for the recently concluded Prematurity Month, which included the holding of the V Premature Babies Symposium: beyond prematurity: science and family, with the participation of nine national and international experts, with the purpose of supporting social programs aimed at neonates.
Among the international experts were Dr. Pablo Durán, pediatrician and regional advisor on Perinatal Health of the Pan American Health Organization (WH/HSS/PAHO); Dr. Natalia Largaespada, international expert in Child Development Care (CDI) of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Dr. Nathalie Charpak, founding partner, senior researcher and director of the Kangaroo Foundation in Bogotá, Colombia.
