Kakaire A. Kirunda
1 October 2008
Iganga — A study aimed at devising cost effective methods of reducing deaths among newborns has been launched, with results expected in 2010. The study, to be conducted by the Makerere University School of Public Health (MUSPH) with funding from Save the Children, was launched last week at the Iganga-Mayuge Demographic Surveillance Site.
Giving a brief on the study, the Site Director, Dr George Pariyo, said the research was prompted by the high number of deaths among newborns that currently stands at 45,000 fatalities annually and a similar number that is delivered in form of stillbirths.
"Of all these fatalities, 38,000 could be prevented with low cost interventions such as the one we are proposing to implement," said Dr Pariyo, who is also the head of the department of health policy and planning at MUSPH.
He said the intervention involves training community health workers and consultations had already been done on how the trainees will be selected.
He added, "They will be given messages on how to support the mothers and strengthening the linkages between the communities and the health facilities. But it is not enough to equip mothers with the necessary information when the health centres have not been sorted out. The health workers will also be trained."
Among the key messages to mothers will be how to avoid infections, counselling on breast feeding, preparing for safe delivery, educating them about the danger signs in a newborn and the importance of delivering from a clean environment.
"Basing on the findings, the Ministry of Health will be presented with a package that can then be scaled up eventually at a national level and in other countries with similar problems," Dr Pariyo said.
Dr Jessica Nsungwa Sabiiti, from the Child Health department, said findings of the study would help inform policy makers because the ministry had realised that reducing child mortality would require focusing on the health of newborns.
Newborn deaths come next in terms of numbers after malaria-related deaths among children.
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