COINN supports Zero separation campaign launched by EFCNI and GLANCE.
In cooperation with its international network, the Global Alliance for Newborn Care (GLANCE) which is the global initiative of EFCNI, developed a long-term campaign to support parents of hospitalised newborns and healthcare professionals in neonatal care units with the aim to enable infant and family centred developmental care in line with COVID-19-precautions.
- Worldwide, neonatal units have adopted a separation policy, limiting or prohibiting access of parents to neonatal care units [1]
- Separation can result in long-term health and developmental issues in newborns and impact the mental health of parents [2]
- GLANCE aims to raise awareness for the parents’ and newborns’ needs in times of a pandemic and informs about possibilities to follow a zero separation approach in neonatal units while maintaining precautions and high standards of hygiene
The campaign focuses on six topics such as breastfeeding and human milk, lung diseases e.g. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), former preterm infants, mental health, discharge from the hospital and the role of fathers and family members.
To inform about consequences of parent and child separation, the campaign will shed light on the patients’ and the parents’ view by sharing experience reports from former patients, parents and other relatives.
Besides parent and patient organisations, a significant number of international healthcare professionals and medical societies support the campaign and have provided statements and scientific data underlining the positive effect on long-term health outcomes of zero separation in NICUs.
The campaign was developed, following the recommendations of the WHO in regards to the provision of newborn and maternal care in times of COVID-19.
Campaign material is available in more than 20 languages and can be downloaded on www.glance-network.org
Click below for the full position statement.