Ferris wheels at three amusement parks were lit up on World Prematurity Day on Thursday to raise awareness about premature births, as well as prevention strategies and treatment.
The Taipei Children’s Amusement Park in Shilin District (士林), Lihpao Land in Taichung and Farglory Ocean Park in Hualien County worked with the Premature Baby Foundation of Taiwan to promote care for families with babies who are born early.
The Ferris wheels were lit up in red and blue to symbolize the joy of welcoming new lives and the struggles that await the parents of premature babies.
Photo: CNA
In Taiwan, one in 10 babies are born prematurely, and they are susceptible to heart, lung, retina and neurodevelopment problems, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said in a news release.
After the babies are discharged from hospital, their parents might encounter challenges while taking care of them, and feel stress given the amount of health checks and development assessments, it said.
In Taiwan last year, one in 10 newborns was under 2.5kg, which is defined as “low birth weight” by the WHO, while one in 100 was under 1.5kg, or “very low birth weight,” HPA statistics showed.
Foundation board chairman Chang Jui-hsing (張瑞幸) said she hopes the Ferris wheel activity would foster understanding about premature babies and draw more attention to their medical care.
The HPA is implementing a home healthcare program for low birth weight and very low birth weight infants, the agency said.
As of this month, 64 hospitals in 20 cities and counties have signed up for the program, it said, adding that 653 very low birth weight and 224 low birth weight infants with complications or who must wear medical devices were enrolled in the program by the end of last month.
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