Under the Project “Welcome to Life” sponsored by Handicap International, Khanh Hoa general Hospital has just launched the ROP service...
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| ROP service at Khanh Hoa General Hospital. |
Under the Project “Welcome to Life” sponsored by Handicap International, Khanh Hoa General Hospital has just launched the ROP service for premature infants.
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an eye disease that affects prematurely-born babies. ROP can be mild and may resolve spontaneously, but it may lead to blindness. ROP is a leading cause of blindness in children under 1 year.
The rate of premature births in Khanh Hoa General Hospital was 11,6%. There could be about 20,000 premature babies each year in the province.
The rate of preterm infants under 32-week gestation is about 28%, so the number of premature baby that needed to be screened for ROP can be up to 100-150 cases per year in the provincial general hospital.
If the screening for ROP is expanded to infants over 32-week gestation the rate of premature baby would be increased significantly. Actually the number of children having the ROP screening in 2010 in Khanh Hoa Province was 13/60 cases subject to screening and 12/28 cases assessed in the first 6 months of 2011.
The Life Project- Handicap International has implemented the ROP program for premature infants at Khanh Hoa General Hospital. The aim of the project is to give timely medical treatment to reduce the blindness risks.
Trinh Thi Van Giang, a coordinator of Handicap International says that the service is for infants from not only the Khanh Hoa General Hospital but also other hospitals in Ninh Hoa, Ninh Diem, Cam Ranh and Health Station of Cam Lam District Hospital.
From August 2012, the service will be opened to all infants throughout the province. The project has contributed greatly to the improvement of newborn baby care in Khanh Hoa.
N.T
