KUCHING: The courage of premature babies and the resilience of their parents in overcoming the challenges of early birth deserve recognition, says Sarawak General Hospital’s (SGH) Director, Dr Ngian Hie Ung.
She said premature babies faced numerous health challenges from birth, including infections, requiring dedicated care and support before they could grow and thrive.
“Every child is a precious child, and every child, no matter how small they are, is precious to parents,” she said when officiating the hospital’s World Prematurity Day 2026 celebration at the DCC Courtyard of SGH today (Nov. 14).
Dr Ngian said the graduation certificates presented to premature babies are meaningful keepsakes, documenting details such as their birth weight and gestational age.
She said the records would allow the children to look back on their early beginnings when they grew older and appreciate how far they had come.
Acknowledging the emotional strain experienced by parents whose babies were unwell, she praised their patience, dedication and love throughout the difficult period.
“Your courage, your resilience, your patience, your love for the child, I think is something that I really acknowledge and I need to learn from all of you,” she said, acknowledging the emotional challenges faced by parents whose children were unwell.
In addition, she expressed appreciation to SGH staff for their dedication and compassion in caring for premature babies and supporting their families throughout the challenging period.
She also commended SGH staff for their dedication and compassion in caring for premature babies and supporting their families, saying their care played an important role in helping them through the difficult period.
For healthcare workers, she said, the rewards extended beyond caring for babies during their earliest days to witnessing them grow up healthy.
Recalling one such experience, she shared how a mother from Sarikei approached her at the hospital years after she had treated her twin babies during her time in paediatrics.
The mother told her that the twins had grown up and were doing well in school.
Dr Ngian said seeing former patients grow up healthy brought joy to doctors just as much as it did to their parents.
She hoped the children would continue to grow and reach their fullest potential in the years ahead.
