MEDICAL MILESTONES @ SCKYE HOSPITAL AS 800G PRETERM BABY SURVIVES 70-DAY NICU BATTLE
The medical team at Sckyé Hospitals Ltd, Akure, on Sunday, May 31, 2026, set another medical record as baby Oluwatosin, who was born prematurely at just 26 weeks, weighed a mere 800 grams, was discharged after spending 70 days in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The remarkable milestone not only marked the survival of an extremely low birth weight infant against daunting odds but also highlighted the dedication of healthcare professionals and the hospital’s commitment to saving lives regardless of financial constraints.
Born on March 22, 2026, at a gestational age of 26 weeks and three days, Baby Oluwatosin arrived far earlier than the normal 37-week term and weighed significantly below the average birth weight. His survival journey began immediately in the hospital’s well-equipped NICU, where he received intensive specialist care.
He was admitted into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the hospital which has 24- hour uninterrupted power supply and modern equipment including incubators, oxygen concentrators, highly effective phototherapy units and one-on-one focused, dedicated nursing care.
After 70 days of intense care, Baby Oluwatosin weighed 1480g and was declared fit to go home.
Baby is however still being followed up by a team of specialists from the hospital.
Speaking during the discharge, the mother of the baby, Mrs Oluwatosin showered encomium on the management of Sckyé Hospitals Ltd, for the exceptional care given to her baby.
According to her, even though she kept faith alive, she never knew the baby could make it through at that age and weight. More worrisome to her and the husband was the huge financial cost of the care which the family could not afford.
Of the 70 days that the baby stayed in the hospital, the family could only make payments for the first 14 days.
The management of the hospital had to write off the balance as their own token of contribution.
The lead clinician, Dr Omolayo Olubosede, the Consultant Paediatrician thanked the Medical Director, Dr Thomas-Wilson Ikubese and his wife, Mrs Abiola Ikubese for their magnanimity and for not putting money ahead of life.
She also thanked the doctors and nurses for their commitment and team work that made the feat possible.
This is the first ELBW baby that the hospital is managing after undergoing a lot of facility upgrades.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), preterm birth is truly a global problem. There is a dramatic difference in survival of premature babies depending on where they are born.
For example, more than 90% of extremely preterm babies (less than 28 weeks) born in low-income countries die within the first few days of life, yet less than 10% of extremely preterm babies die in high-income settings.
WHO also supports countries to implement WHO’s guidelines, aimed at reducing the risk of negative pregnancy outcomes, including preterm births, and ensuring a positive pregnancy and postnatal experience for all women and their infants.
