Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Nurses from Nigeria and Vietnam Recognized for Work Saving Newborns
  • USA - English


News provided by

Save the Children

Aug 15, 2016, 03:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Vancouver, Canada (PRWEB) August 15, 2016 -- Three hundred neonatal nursing professionals from around the world today recognized two of their colleagues for their commitment to saving newborns in some of the most challenging work environments.

Nigerian nurse Adeyemo Abass Kola and Vietnamese nurse Nguyen Thi Minh Hong were honoured with International Neonatal Nursing Excellence Awards at the opening ceremony of the Ninth International Conference of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) in Vancouver, Canada.

The awards were presented by Karen New, president of COINN. “These two nurses are brilliant examples of the determination and hard work of so many neonatal nurses around the world,” New said. “We are awed by their steadfastness, sense of purpose, and most of all the hopefulness they bring to daunting work conditions. Their courage to persevere is saving mothers and infants in circumstances where others might have given up.”

Mr. Kola and Mrs. Hong were chosen from among neonatal nurses nominated by their peers and employers in 14 countries. Nominees were rigorously evaluated and the winners chosen by a team of maternal and newborn health experts from Save the Children and COINN, who have sponsored the award since 2009. Previous winners were from Ghana, India, Kenya, and Malawi.

“Mr. Kola and Mrs. Hong have inspired us with their leadership and their passion. If more neonatal nurses were properly supported, trained, and supplied with essential medicines and tools, we could help ensure that every newborn – no matter where – had the chance to survive birth and get a good start on life,” said Carole Kenner, COINN’s chief executive officer.

Globally, 2.7 million babies die during their first month of life and 2.6 million babies are stillborn. Over 98 percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income settings in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. While most of these deaths are preventable, success depends on the availability, skill, and commitment of the professionals who care for sick newborns.

Unfortunately, most neonatal nursing education programs and recognition of neonatal nursing as a career occur in high-income countries, where neonatal deaths are relatively rare. Karen Lasby, president of the Canadian Association of Neonatal Nurses, said, “In low- and middle-income countries, education and careers in neonatal nursing urgently need to be developed, because they are absolutely critical to reducing newborn and preterm deaths. We know that technology alone is not enough. Trained and specialty-specific neonatal nurses will provide the greatest impact.” Lasby said the International Neonatal Nursing Excellence Award "was created to help showcase how skilled nursing care is critical to reduce the global neonatal death toll.”

According to 2015 United Nations estimates, nearly half of child deaths under age 5 occur in the first month of life. The recently adopted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals include a commitment to reduce neonatal mortality to a rate of 12 or less per 1,000 live births by 2030 and for some countries this requires more than doubling their rate of current progress.

President and CEO of Save the Children Patricia Erb said, “Achieving this ambitious target will require mobilizing all resources, including neonatal nurses and others who provide skilled care at birth. This is especially so in insecure, remote, or inaccessible areas where marginalized or disadvantaged populations live, and places affected by conflict or natural disaster.”

About the Neonatal Nursing Excellence Award Winners

Adeyemo Abass Kola works in the Zamfara state in northern Nigeria, where children face a high risk of death from lead poisoning as a result of unsafe mining practices. Working for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders), Mr. Kola and his colleagues provide chelation therapy to counteract the lead poisoning and treat other complications and illnesses such as asphyxia, hypothermia, malnutrition, and malaria. “What really makes me want to do my work more is the innocence of the babies. You see them and you just have to help,” Mr. Kola says.

Given the limited resources for neonatal care within his hospital, Mr. Kola has learned to improvise, finding new ways to provide needed care to newborns and their mothers. He hopes to become a specialized neonatal intensive care nurse so he can continue improving the quality of care in Zamfara.

Nguyen Thi Minh Hong works in the rural district of Tram Tau, Vietnam, where poor roads, local customs, and language barriers have impeded access to and knowledge of good health practices around birth. Mrs. Hong has worked for the past 34 years, serving a primarily ethnic minority Hmong population. She travels nearly two hours to her clinic each day, providing checkups to mothers and newborns, assisting with deliveries, and conducting family planning consultations.

Mrs. Hong has helped drive a change in cultural beliefs that discourage expecting mothers from visiting health clinics. She has learned the Hmong language, which has increased trust in the nurses and doctors who interact with the patients. As a result, pregnant women are increasingly seeking antenatal care at clinics, and more births are being attended by skilled health workers.

“The work is hard and travel is difficult,” Mrs. Hong says, “But I love this job. When a delivery is done I feel so happy to welcome a new baby. And if the baby is not well, we take care of them and they get healthy after our care and I feel so honored about that.” Mrs. Hong hopes to continue her efforts to encourage the local population to come to the clinics where she and her colleagues can provide better care for mothers and newborns.

About COINN and Save the Children
The Council of International Neonatal Nurses, or COINN, represents nurses who specialize in the care of newborn infants and their families or who have a special interest in this area of nursing. COINN is part of a growing international community of nurses that represents a resource for nurses that want to form a national or local organization, create guidelines for care or professional standards, or want advice on neonatal nursing issues. COINN has sponsored nine international neonatal nursing conferences, with the latest in Vancouver, Canada. As recognized global leaders in neonatal nursing care, COINN is committed to fostering excellence in neonatal nursing, promoting the development of neonatal nursing as a recognized global specialty, high standards of neonatal care, enhancing quality of care for patients and families, decreasing health disparities, and improving healthcare outcomes.

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. In 120 countries around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.

Media Contacts

John Engels
Director of Communications, Saving Newborn Lives, Save the Children
jengels(at)savechildren(dot)org
+01-202-794-1593

Katharine Harris
National Senior Manager, Communications, PR & Engagement, Save the Children
kharris(at)savethechildren(dot)ca
+01-647-973-1185

Carole Kenner
Chief Executive Officer, COINN
ceo(at)coinnurses(dot)org
+1-405-684 1476

Mary Kinney, Senior Specialist, Global Evidence & Advocacy, Save the Children
mkinney(at)savechildren(dot)org
+27-83-444-8211

John Engels, Save the Children, +1 202.794.1593, [email protected]

Modal title

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.