Collateral damage

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝟮𝟭 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮. In the initial fog of fear around COVID-19 contagion, when the pandemic struck, neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) the world over changed the way they approached infant care. In South Africa’s private hospitals, that meant mitigation strategies that hampered the decades-old skin-to-skin kangaroo nursing method that’s fundamental to the government guideline for care within the NICU. At the height of the pandemic, the most vulnerable paid a very high price. The separation of newborns in need of medical care from their families caused immense suffering for mothers, fathers, and their babies. Carte Blanche investigates why some couples were prevented from even touching their babies, as experts begin calculating the long-term collateral damage including possible impairment of babies’ cognitive, emotional, and social development. We explore the psychological impact of pandemic rules – was the crisis management worth it in the end? Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/carteblanchetv