neonatology-pediatrics-surgery-2019-posters

Page 42

Volume 5

Journal of Pediatric Care

ISSN: 2471-805X

JOINT EVENT

Neonatology 2019

Pediatrics Surgery 2019

April 23-24, 2019

April 23-24, 2019 London, UK

Edition of International Conference on

Neonatology and Perinatology

International Conference on

Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery

Using a regional approach of a network of facilities to address mortality due to prematurity: Lessons from

Eastern Uganda

Gertrude Namazzi

Makerere University, Uganda

omplications due to prematurity and low birth weight babies are considered as the leading cause of neonatal

mortality worldwide. In Uganda, prematurity contributes to a third of neonatal deaths and 40% of under-

five mortality. We developed an intervention, the Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi), to test a model for addressing

preterm care at scale within the Uganda health system. Since January 2016, we implemented the PTBi in a regional

network of six hospitals in Eastern Uganda, utilizing the simulation based training and mentorship in intrapartum

and immediate postnatal care, use of modified WHO safe childbirth checklist, Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycles,

and data strengthening. The findings show that use of a network of hospitals at the same time has led to improved

communication among facility leaders and health providers. In addition, health workers learn faster together and

are able to access specialists at the regional level hospital whom they consult by phone on management of sick and

high risk newborns, or give pre-referral treatment and refer. This approach has streamlined the referral of not only

preterm babies but also for all other newborns and women in labor for better outcomes. Consequently, the preterm

mortality reduced from 8.1 to 5.3/1000 live births in 18 months. The overall providers’ knowledge scores improved

from 48% to 70% in the pre and post-training tests respectively. A regional approach of network of facilities can

enhance scale up of preterm care and accelerate reduction in neonatal mortality in the country and similar settings.

J Pediatr Care 2019, Volume 5

DOI: 10.21767/2471-805X-C1-021