On Tuesday, members of the department of pediatrics, former colleagues and patients gathered to celebrate Dr. Jeffrey Perlman for his 18 years of service as the Division Chief of Newborn Medicine. His visionary leadership of the NICU team at Weill Cornell Medicine has resulted in outstanding patient outcomes and has transformed how neonatal intensive care is delivered. His work on neonatal brain injury, neonatal resuscitation, and newborn global health have impacted many children around the world, undoubtedly saving lives and improving outcomes. He has inspired a generation of neonatologists and other newborn care providers. Although Dr. Perlman is stepping down, his legacy of selfless dedication and unwavering commitment to providing the best care for those who are at risk at the start of their lives, will live on.
Dr. Perlman is stepping down as Chief to focus on his neonatal work in Africa. Since 2006, Dr. Perlman has worked in Tanzania where he introduced a program known as Helping Baby’s Breath (HBB). The pilot study resulted in a reduction of early neonatal mortality by 47% and stillbirths by 24%. Subsequent studies over the years have replicated these powerful observations. His team subsequently introduced a care bundle for premature infants which reduced mortality by 26%. In 2011, Dr. Perlman expanded his work and began pursuing more opportunities to improve neonatal care in the Eastern Cape of South Africa where his group recently reported a reduction in neonatal mortality following the introduction of HBB. He is currently working at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Tanzania where he has introduced a novel low-tech CPAP device to help babies breathe in the neonatal unit. Most recently, his team introduced a QI initiative in the Eastern Cape in an to reduce infections in premature babies- the second leading cause of death in the Eastern Cape as well as globally.
We wish Dr. Perlman the best in all his future endeavors and look forward to watching his impact on neonatal care across the globe.