NEWBORN WEEK CELEBRATION 14TH NOVEMBER – 21ST NOVEMBER 2015

The programs planned for the week were:
1. Poem writing competition: This was conducted for faculty and students of Manipal Academy of Higher Education. Total 48 participants wrote poem in various languages like English, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam on 4th November 2015 on the topic “Newborn”.
The Best poem prizes were received by: Ms Christeena John (Ist BSc N, MCON Manipal) in English, Ms Priya (Intern MSON) in Kannada, Ms Shreya Singh (Student MCODS) in Hindi, Ms Evlin Roy (student Dept of Clinical Psychology) in Malayalam. Faculty awards: Ms Piya Paul Mudgal (Asst Prof, dept of Viral Research) in English, Mr Rajesh Bhat (Dept of Finance, MU) in Kannada.  

2. Observation of mothers caring the newborn: Mothers were observed and evaluated for the care provided to their neonates from 9th to 14th November 2015. Observation was done in postnatal wards of Kasturba Hospital Manipal. Mrs. Sreelatha admitted in postnatal ward, mother of a baby girl residing at Kundapura was selected as Best mother based on the assessment criteria

3. Radio telecast on “Newborn care”: Role play on “Newborn Care” by Postgraduate students of MCON was broadcasted by FM on 14th November 2015 at 5:30 pm in 90.4FM and it will be broadcasted again on 18th November 2015 at 6pm and 21st November 2015 at 6pm on 90.4FM.  

4. Awareness Program: on “Care of Mother and Child” was conducted on 6th November 2015 in collaboration with Rotary club, Shankarpura. Sixty mothers of under five children of Anganwadi and play school teachers actively participated in the sessions on Essential Newborn Care, Prevention of Communicable disease in children, Care of Child during illness, importance of Balanced diet for women and children, Do’s and Dont’s regarding care of children. The sessions were taken by Mrs. Yashoda Sathish, Asst. Professor Department of Child Health Nursing and Mrs. Maria Pais, Asst. Professor Department of OBG Nursing. President and members of Rotary club, Shankarpura supported the program.

5. Workshop on “Humanized Neonatal care” was conducted on 17th November 2015. Thirty nine participants were there for the workshop. They were from different institutions such as Mitra School of Nursing, TMA Pai Hospital, Dhanwantari College of Nursing, Mahesh Hospital Brahmavar, Kasturba Hospital Manipal, Gandhi Hospital Udupi, Manipal School of Nursing Manipal, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Vidya College of Nursing Kaup. Sessions on Neuro motor assessment and management was taken by Dr. Bhamini K Rao, Professor and HOD, Department of Physiotherapy, SOAHS, Manipal. She highlighted on the coordination of head & neck in relation to neuro motor development of the newborn; Family Centered Care was addressed by Dr. Baby S Nayak, Professor, Department of Child Health Nursing MCON, Manipal. She stressed the importance of how family needs to be incorporated in giving care to a neonate admitted in NICU.  

Dr Jayashree Purkaystha, Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, KH Manipal, spoke on healing environment, where she expressed how the neonatal environment should be arranged differently for forenoon, afternoon & night. Mrs. Yashoda Satish, Asst. Professor, Department of Child Health Nursing MCON, Manipal took the session on comprehensive high risk care of newborn and listed the important aspects of newborn care in NICU which are very essential for each and every newborn. Skill stations were arranged in the afternoon on developmental supportive care, breast feeding and neonatal resuscitation.  

Dr. Anice George, Dean MCON Manipal was the chief guest for Valedictory session at 4 pm. She highlighted that not only high tech care is important, but along with it humanized touch and care are also important for neonatal comprehensive development. She even stressed that knowledge with the skill is very important aspect and it needs to be upgraded regularly. Another important concept of care which was mentioned by her was considering the family as a center for the total development of a neonate.  

Prizes were distributed for winners of poem writing competition and best mother. Certificate of participation was given to all the participants. Over all weeklong program was coordinated by Mrs. Sweety Fernandes, Mrs Sushmitha Karkada, Mrs Yashoda Sathish, Assistant Professors, MCON Manipal and Dr. Baby S Nayak, Professor, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal.