CMF held its 2nd National Neonatal Network Conference in Guiyang, Guizhou on July 8-9th. Representatives from 16 of CMF’s 20 NCUS attended, covering all 13 provinces where CMF has established programs. With learning and development opportunities for hospitals who work in low-resource areas in newborn health few and far between, CMF saw this conference as an opportunity to: a) provide up-to-date training, b) create a space for relationship and network building, and c) encourage the sharing of solutions for issues that are common amongst health care facilities serving large poor, rural populations.
Experts from CMF’s family of training hospitals (the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Children’s Medical Centre and the Guangzhou Children’s Hospital) presented on the medical transport of newborn babies, treatment of extremely low birth weight infants, and hygiene and infection control. Dr. Hu Bin, a specialist in public health project management in China, presented on health care administration and program management – a growing area of needed capacity development. Health care professionals from CMF’s NCUs were also given the opportunity to discuss challenges that they are facing in their hospitals and collectively brainstorm solutions as well as share some of their successes and innovations.
The feedback from participants from our NCUs was positive:
“The conference strengthened linkages between NICUs. From the presentations, I learned about the rapid growth in the NICUs and their valuable experiences. I am encouraged, inspired and motivated.”
“The conference allowed me to gain new technical knowledge related our work in the NICU through the invited speakers. I am very inspired. The conference topics were very rich. I have also learned the importance of networking.”
Moving forward, CMF will continue to cultivate the National Neonatal Network, and is working on building the network’s connections outside of the conference setting.
