Neonatal intensive care unit opens at Alberta Children's Hospital

The province unveiled a new 14-bed neonatal intensive care unit at the Alberta Childrens Hospital on Tuesday.

The $10.9-million Edwards Family NICU will provide care to the most critically-ill newborn babies in southern Alberta, the province said in a release.

• Gift funds new neonatal beds at Children's Hospital

Heather and N. Murray Edwards donated $5 million to the Alberta Childrens Hospital Foundation for the project.

These new beds will improve care, reduce patient transfers and provide better access to specialists and increase our capacity to care for critically-ill newborns, said Health Minister Fred Horne in a statement.

There are now 291 neonatal intensive care beds in the province.

I hope todays investment will give more parents peace of mind and more newborns a healthy start to life. On behalf of Albertans, I want to thank the Edwards family for their very generous contribution, said Premier Alison Redford in statement.