Transamazon Hospital holds the 10th edition of the Premature Babies Meeting in Altamira
Project brings together babies who went through ICUs and are now growing healthy alongside their families
Examples of overcoming, gratitude, and lots of laughter marked the 10th edition of the Premature Babies Meeting at the Transamazon Public Regional Hospital (HRPT), held last Tuesday, November 25, in Altamira, southwestern Pará. More than 20 children, who once rushed directly into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), had their stories told by their mothers, like dentist Ivana Né, who defines her daughter, Melinda, as a miracle of faith and science.
It was 2022, the world was recovering from the largest pandemic of the last century, and Ivana found herself trapped in the hospital for another reason. Melinda was born at just 6 months old and an impressive 890 grams. Classified as a baby in a state of extreme prematurity, the chances of survival were close to zero, but the mother found the necessary support at the Transamazon Hospital, even for such a delicate and high-risk case. “It was difficult, but the hospital was of great help. God placed the hospital and these professionals here.” The girl's mother, now strong and 3 and a half years old, shares that affection transcended the hospital walls. “They say that in times of great difficulty, wonderful people appear in our lives, and we formed friendships with many of the team who visit my daughter at home.”
Melinda's story, shared during Tuesday's meeting, is quite similar to that of Eliza, who was also born at six months and weighing less than a kilogram. It was 60 days of struggle and fear, but without losing confidence in the teams, shares her mother, Luana Abreu, who, even living in Santarém, made a point of crossing the Transamazon as a form of gratitude. “I was very happy that they remembered us and showed this affection. Many people do not recognize it, but having this affection for them is rewarding.” This relationship beyond the walls may have two reasons. First, it is impossible not to get attached to such a fragile baby. Then, there is the time spent with the mothers, who are the ones who suffer the most during the process and create bonds with the professionals as a way to find comfort.
Since the first edition, a decade ago, the Premature Babies Meeting at HRPT has the mission, through real examples, to show the community and the press how the babies who arrived weakened at the hospital have left recovered. But above all, the event, which always takes place during the Purple November campaign, shares the stories as a way to reinforce the importance of the public health network as an instrument that saves lives from birth, and to draw attention to issues such as prenatal care, an essential procedure for a healthy pregnancy, through which a series of problems can be identified, including those that point to the possibility of premature birth.
Nurse Cleiton Araújo monitors daily the babies who go through the Pediatric, Neonatal, and Pediatric ICUs, now coordinated by him. Each experience is like the first; it is never possible to face it with normality, he confides. “It is satisfying to see this reunion of these patients, how they have grown and developed.” The relief, explains the coordinator, only comes when the baby is discharged and goes home. “When we can demonstrate that these patients are having good development and with low consequences and sequelae during the hospitalization period in the hospital environment, we also see the quality of the service provided by the hospital teams,” adds Cleiton Araújo.
To celebrate the 10th edition, the Premature Babies Meeting at the Transamazon Regional Hospital awarded the “Best Mother in the World” certificate. A reference in caring for children, especially newborns, premature, and extremely premature babies, HRPT, recognized with national hospital excellence seals, the main entry point for a population of half a million people across nine municipalities, awarded mothers like Jamily Lopes. At 31 years old, the housewife gave a speech of gratitude to doctors, nurses, technicians, nutritionists, psychologists, speech therapists, and support staff. Thanks to these professionals, reflects the young woman, it is now possible to carry the greatest gift she could have received: Ítan, 10 months old, her first child. “I defend the hospital, I defend the staff because I have a huge affection for this hospital, from the cleaning staff to everyone. Coming here, with this team, was very important and lighter. I didn’t have family here; the girls [nurses and technicians] became my family at that moment.”
Text by Rômulo D’Castro / Ascom HRPT
