The People's Hospital in Amude opened a neonatal ward on Sunday. It is the first time that the town in northeastern Syria has had its own neonatal unit. Previously, pregnant women in the region relied on midwives or had to travel long distances to deliver their babies in hospitals in major cities. Medical care for babies also had to be organized elsewhere. This is now a thing of the past.

The newborn unit in Amude is a project of the health committee of the Cizîrê region. "From now on, healthy and sick children will be cared for here before and after birth," explained physician Dr. Selim Şewket at the opening of the department.

As Şewket further explained, the new ward will offer the entire spectrum from rooming-in to a monitoring room, depending on the needs of mother and child. Depending on the mother's condition, there is of course also the option of placing the child in the care of the pediatric nurses.

The medical care of the child during the stay in the hospital is provided by a team of four doctors and eight nurses and is free of charge. "Of course, we are prepared to treat premature babies according to their needs," Şewket said. The responsible health committee worked for almost six months to set up the neonatal unit. Women from the region in particular were delighted with the offer.