Morbidity and mortality pattern among neonates admitted to the general paediatric ward of a secondary health care centre in the Niger delta region of Nigeria

Introduction: In Nigeria’s public hospitals, facilities for specialized neonatal care are few and available only in tertiary hospitals. However a greater number of neonates are delivered at the primary and secondary health care centres where these facilities are lacking. Thus, sick newborns are managed in the general paediatric ward along with other children and there is a likelihood of increased mortality in this group of neonates compared to those managed in standard neonatal units.

Objective: To determine the morbidity and mortality pattern among neonates admitted to a general paediatric ward of a secondary health care facility.

Method: This was a prospective cross sectional study of neonatal admissions and mortalities from January 2012 to December 2013.

Result: A total of 655 neonates were admitted during the study period of which 68 were excluded. Of the 587 neonates analysed. 360 were males. The leading causes of admissions were neonatal sepsis, prematurity, perinatal asphyxia, haemorrhagic disease of the newborn and neonatal jaundice. There were 122 (20.3%) deaths with a male: female ratio of 1.7:1. Neonatal jaundice, prematurity and birth asphyxia had the highest case fatality rate.

Conclusions: There were 20.3% deaths. The leading causes of admissions were neonatal sepsis, prematurity, perinatal asphyxia, haemorrhagic disease of the newborn and neonatal jaundice.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v45i2.7981

(Key words: Neonate, mortality, general paediatric ward)