[Neonatal morbidity and mortality in 2002-2006 at the Charles de Gaulle pediatric hospital in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)]

Abstract

Introduction: Neonatal diseases remain a major public health problem in developing countries. The Millennium Goal of reducing child mortality by 2/3 by the year 2015 requires a major reduction in neonatal mortality. Accordingly, in March 2006, Burkina Faso began a policy of subsidizing obstetric care and neonatal emergency care. To be able to assess the effectiveness of the steps undertaken, we examined the characteristics of morbidity and neonatal mortality in the principal pediatric teaching hospital (CHUP-CDG) before implementation of the program.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study looked at hospital records and the database of newborns hospitalized from 01 January 2002 through 31 December 2006.

Results: During the study period, of 23 223 children hospitalized, 1226 (5%) were neonates. The number of neonates hospitalized annually has increased from 118 in 2002 to 414 in 2006. Most (70%) were referred by another healthcare facility. Mean age at admission was 9+/-8 days. The socioeconomic level of 60% of the parents was low. The neonatal mortality rate was 15.3%. More than half (58.8%) the deaths occurred on the first day of hospitalization. The leading causes of morbidity were also the biggest killers: the fatality rate for neonatal infections was 16.8%, and that for congenital malformations and acute accidental poisoning 12.9%.

Conclusion: Neonatal morbidity and mortality remain at worrisome levels. Improved monitoring of pregnancies and conditions of delivery, reduction in the cost to families of care and the opening of a neonatal unit equipped with appropriate material at the pediatric hospital center (CHUP-CDG) should help to reduce neonatal mortality.