In this episode, Shelly-Ann and Mbozu sit down with a few members of the Parents Neonatal Intensive Care Charity affiliated with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados.

Heidi and Andrew Hutchinson, parents of a baby born at 30 weeks who is now a practicing lawyer, share how they transitioned from frightened NICU parents to decades-long advocates. June Walton and Cheryl Walrond, retired NICU nurses, describe building the first parent education sessions and the culture of care that followed.

What began as a Thursday evening Q&A between overwhelmed parents and NICU nurses in the early 1990s grew into a registered charity that funded system improvements over time. These included refurbishing every incubator in the unit, securing surfactant in the early days before it was on national drug formulary, purchasing a portable X-Ray machine among many other initiatives.

Dr. Naiza Ngowo Monono, the sole pediatrician at Limbe Regional Hospital in Cameroon for nearly a decade, shares how she reduced neonatal mortality to 16 per 1,000—well below the national average. Key interventions included implementing hygiene protocols, training staff on danger sign recognition and neonatal resuscitation, task-shifting responsibilities to nurses and general practitioners, scaling Kangaroo Mother Care, and partnering with UNICEF to train referral hospitals for earlier identification and transfer. Dr. Ngowo Monono emphasizes starting with available resources, building team capacity through mentorship, and maintaining discipline in planning. She advocates for multidisciplinary post-discharge follow-up and improved respiratory care as next priorities for advancing newborn outcomes.

Join hosts Shelly-Ann Dakarai and Mbozu Sipalo as they celebrate two incredible years of the Global Neonatal Podcast! Dive into their journey of global connections, where starting small, embracing teamwork, and learning from diverse neonatal health heroes have been key. A heartfelt thank you to our amazing listeners—your support fuels our passion! We're excited to continue this journey and bring you more inspiring stories from neonatal change makers in 2026.