Effectiveness of phototherapy units in Cameroon

Abstract

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in resource-limited countries. The aim of this study was to measure the effectiveness of existing phototherapy units at a local hospital in Cameroon using an irradiance meter. Phototherapy units (n = 4) in one newborn nursery in Cameroon were evaluated. The average irradiance of the functioning units was 2.87 μW/cm(2)/nm, which is substantially below the recommended range of 10-30 μW/cm(2)/nm. With simple improvements, one new prototype unit was developed. Its irradiance was 23.3 μW/cm(2)/nm. We concluded that irradiance of phototherapy units should be measured, as many local nurseries worldwide may not be delivering effective treatment. Simple and cost-effective changes to phototherapy units can make a substantial improvement in irradiance.

Keywords: jaundice; newborn; phototherapy.