Dear Friends /Colleagues,
I had the privilege of recently publishing a viewpoint on newborn
care, (*Narayanan
I, Litch JA, Srinivas GL, Onwona-Agyeman K, Abdul-Mumin A, Ramasethu J.
At-risk newborns: Overlooked in expansion from essential newborn care to
small and sick newborn care in low- and middle-income countries. Glob
Health Sci Pract. 2023;11(1):e2200099.
https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-22-00099
<https://doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-22-00099>*) - article attached.
Key points highlighted in this article include the following: “In global
health, the initial focus on essential newborn care for all now includes
adding specialized care for small and sick newborns. In many low- and
middle-income countries (LMICs), this has resulted in transferring
relatively stable newborns with risk factors who require observation and
minimal support to special/intensive care units that are already
overcrowded and understaffed. To prevent needless separation from mothers
and overcrowding in neonatal units, we propose an “at-risk” category of
newborns and suggest feasible, more cost-effective options to manage these
newborns at health care facilities in LMICs.” Such babies should ideally be
roomed in with their mothers either in a special demarcated area or room
close to the nursing station in the postnatal ward or close to the special
neonatal care unit (SNCU) or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with some
additional nursing support. Such units,* with the mother,* can also serve
as a “step-down neonatal unit” where babies in SNCU and NICU have improved
and to prepare them for discharge. The latter helps to guide the mothers
better before discharge and promotes more confidence and better follow-up
care.
Further details are in the article which I have attached. All of us authors
feel that this approach, already being implemented in some hospitals noted
in the article, will be beneficial in the care of the newborn. All comments
from interested persons will be very valuable and welcome.
Kind regards,
Indira
Indira Narayanan MBBS, MD, FNNF, FIAP, FNAMS
Adjunct Professor, Pediatrics/Neonatology
Georgetown University Medical Center
Consultant, Global Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition
Email:
