The Ifakara Health Institute joins families, healthcare professionals, and organizations worldwide in observing World Prematurity Day 2025, honoring the resilience of preterm infants and their families while celebrating progress in newborn care.

Observed annually on 17 November, World Prematurity Day raises awareness about the challenges of preterm birth, which affects over 13 million babies globally each year. The 2025 theme, “Give preterm babies a strong start for a hopeful future!”, emphasizes the urgent need for equitable, high-quality newborn care worldwide.

NEST360: Strengthening newborn care

The Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360) program, implemented in Tanzania by the Ifakara Health Institute, focuses on expanding access to quality care, building healthcare worker skills, and strengthening hospital infrastructure for preterm and newborn babies.

NEST360 equips hospitals with essential newborn care equipment, trains clinicians, nurses, and biomedical engineers to operate and maintain life-saving devices, and establishes skills labs and training hubs across the country to enhance practical learning and sustain expertise. In partnership with the Ministry of Health, the program has upgraded Comprehensive Newborn Care Units (CNCUs) in tertiary and regional hospitals, directly improving survival rates for preterm babies.

Ifakara’s special 1 - day campaign 

To mark World Prematurity Day 2025, Ifakara and the NEST360 program in Tanzania will roll out a 1-day campaign featuring leadership, healthcare workers, and mothers sharing what this year’s theme means to them. Their voices will highlight the real-life impact of efforts to give every preterm baby a strong start.