Regional Hospital of Marabá welcomes premature babies with children's songs in the ICU
The Acalanto Project uses compositions to soften the environment and reiterate care and hopes in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
“Alecrim, alecrim dourado, que nasceu no campo sem ser semeado”. This is one of the songs that come to life in the Acalanto Project, developed at the Regional Hospital of Southeast Pará – Dr. Geraldo Veloso (HRSP), in Marabá. The initiative reinterprets traditional children's melodies to soothe premature babies hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU), offering comfort, serenity, and hope to the little patients and their parents.
Baby Suria Raabe was hospitalized for 22 days in the Neonatal ICU, where she faced a daily struggle for life. The melodies of the project cradled her fragile sleep and softened the hospital routine. Next to the incubator, her mother, Thuany Reis, 25 years old, a resident of Parauapebas in the Carajás region, found solace in music that helped her endure the wait.
“When the music started, I felt that she became calmer, as if she understood that she was safe. For us, mothers, that moment was a breath of fresh air amid the struggle. The song gave me strength to believe that I would soon take my daughter home,” recalled Thuany, emotional.
Another little warrior was Maria Julia, who spent 37 days in the Neonatal ICU. Maria's mother, Andressa de Sousa, 24 years old, a resident of Eldorado dos Carajás in the Carajás region, approved of the hospital initiative that transformed each day into a new beginning.
“When I heard the song, I felt that time slowed down. I closed my eyes and imagined my daughter at home, in my arms, listening to the same melodies. This filled me with faith. With each note, I realized that it wasn't just me who was getting stronger, but her too. It was as if the music crossed the glass of the incubator and united us in an invisible embrace. That moment made me believe that soon, this embrace would be real,” recalled Andressa, emotional.
Notes of hope
Carried out by the Humanization Service of the unit, under the management of the Institute of Social and Environmental Health of the Amazon (ISSAA), in partnership with the State Department of Public Health of Pará (Sespa), the project has the support of volunteers who transform music into gestures of solidarity and affection, offering hope to the little warriors of the Neonatal ICU.
The poet from Marabá, Gabi Silva, is one of the volunteers, and with her voice, she revives traditional songs that have cradled generations and that have gained new meaning by calming premature babies and awakening in mothers the joy of seeing their children cradled by music and affection.
“Singing here is different from anywhere else. Each note seems to carry a hug, a caress. It’s not just music; it’s a way of telling these babies that they are strong and that a whole future awaits them,” emphasizes Gabi.
She explains that the impact is not only on the little ones but also on the families. “I see the emotion in the mothers' eyes when the song begins. It’s as if the melody cradles their hearts, bringing a bit of peace and hope amid days of struggle,” she adds.
The project also counts on the talent of the musician from Marabá, Zequinha do Cabelo Seco, who with his guitar transforms the Neonatal ICU into a space of tenderness and resistance. “Here I don’t just play strings; I touch lives. Each chord is a seed of hope and an invisible hug in the heart of those who need it most,” reflects the musician.
Humanization
The Acalanto Project is one of 25 humanization projects maintained by the Regional Hospital of Southeast Pará in Marabá, which reinforces the unit's commitment to providing not only clinical care but also attention to each patient. In the Neonatal ICU, where every minute is valuable, music has become a bridge between mothers, babies, and the healthcare team.
For Daiane Uszynski, Humanization analyst at the hospital, the initiative translates the true meaning of this work. “It’s a simple but powerful action. Music becomes a sound embrace that strengthens mothers and babies, transforming moments of uncertainty into hope and faith in recovery,” she emphasizes.
Structure
The care at the Regional Hospital of Marabá is 100% free, provided through the Unified Health System (SUS). The unit has 135 beds, including 97 for clinical hospitalization and 38 for Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
Text by Ederson Oliveira
