A wave of joy swept through Sckyé Hospitals Ltd in Akure, Ondo State, on Sunday, May 31, 2026, as Baby Oluwatosin was discharged after spending 70 days in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The baby boy arrived at the hospital on March 22, 2026, at just 26 weeks and 3 days of gestation, tipping the scale at a mere 800 grams — a weight that places him in the Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) category, defined as any birth weight below 1,000 grams. In a normal pregnancy, babies are delivered after 37 weeks and typically weigh between 2,500 grams and just under 4,000 grams.
From the moment of his arrival, Baby Oluwatosin was placed in the hospital’s NICU, a unit equipped with 24-hour uninterrupted power supply and modern medical infrastructure including incubators, oxygen concentrators, and high-performance phototherapy units, backed by dedicated one-on-one nursing care.
Seventy days later, he left the unit weighing 1,480 grams and was certified fit for discharge. He continues to receive follow-up care from a team of specialists at the hospital.
At the discharge ceremony, the baby’s mother, Mrs. Oluwatosin, expressed deep gratitude to the management of Sckyé Hospitals Ltd for the extraordinary level of care extended to her son. She admitted that despite holding on to faith, she had doubted whether a baby born so early and so small could survive. Adding to the family’s anxiety was the overwhelming cost of care — a financial burden they could not fully bear.
Of the 70 days Baby Oluwatosin spent in the NICU, the family was only able to settle bills for the first 14 days. The hospital management chose to write off the outstanding balance, describing it as their own contribution to the child’s survival.
Lead clinician Dr. Omolayo Olubosede, a Consultant Paediatrician, used the occasion to commend the hospital’s Medical Director, Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese, and his wife, Mrs. Abiola Ikubese, for prioritising life over financial gain. She also praised the doctors and nursing staff whose teamwork and commitment made the outcome possible.
Baby Oluwatosin is notably the first ELBW baby successfully managed at the hospital following a series of facility upgrades.
The feat comes against a sobering global backdrop. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), preterm birth remains a serious worldwide challenge, with survival outcomes varying drastically by geography. Over 90 percent of extremely preterm babies — those born before 28 weeks — born in low-income countries do not survive their first few days of life, while the same category of babies in high-income settings records a mortality rate of under 10 percent. The WHO continues to work with countries to implement guidelines aimed at reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm births, while ensuring a positive experience for mothers and newborns alike.