Hyderabad runs to raise awareness on premature births and neonatal care | Hyderabad News
Hyderabad: On World Prematurity Day, several organisations jointly organised marathons and awareness walks in the IT corridor on Sunday to highlight the challenges faced by families and the importance of timely, quality medical care in improving the babies’ survival.At the fifth edition of Premiethon 2026 – The Hope Run, three-and-a-half-year-old Mahanvika emerged as the centre of attention. Born at 26 weeks of gestation, weighing just 600 grams, Mahanvika defied the odds and participated in the event as the chief guest.Doctors said India accounts for nearly three million preterm births every year, the highest number globally.Dr Nitasha Bagga, founder of the Extra Mile Foundation, said thousands of premature babies across the country continue to face challenges in accessing quality neonatal care, particularly when families cannot afford prolonged hospitalisation and specialised treatment.The National Neonatology Forum (NNF) has declared this year’s theme as “Small Babies, Big Potential: Invest in Their Follow-up Care.”Emphasising the need for continued care after discharge, Dr Vijayanand Jamalpuri, secretary of the NNF Telangana Chapter, said, “The care for premature babies must extend beyond survival and hospital discharge, with continued attention to their growth, development and long-term well-being.”Dr Lalan K Bharti, president of NNF India, urged parents to prioritise breastfeeding, practise Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) as advised by their healthcare teams and ensure that babies attend all scheduled follow-up visits.“Timely eye screening for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), hearing assessment and monitoring of growth and development are essential,” he said.A medical professional noted that advances in neonatal care have significantly improved the survival rates of premature babies.The awareness initiative aimed to highlight the importance of quality neonatal care and mobilise resources to ensure that every newborn, irrespective of their family’s financial circumstances, has access to life-saving treatment and the opportunity to lead a healthy life.Premiethon 2026 was flagged off by special chief secretary Jayesh Ranjan and Cyberabad police commissioner M Ramesh Reddy.
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