Evaluation of the routine implementation of pulse oximeters into integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) guidelines at primary health care level in West Africa: the AIRE mixed-methods research protocol.

BACKGROUND: The AIRE operational project will evaluate the implementation of the routine Pulse Oximeter (PO) use in the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) strategy for children under-5 in primary health care centers (PHC) in West Africa. The introduction of PO should promote the accurate identification of hypoxemia (pulse blood oxygen saturation Sp02 < 90%) among all severe IMCI cases (respiratory and non-respiratory) to prompt their effective case management (oxygen, antibiotics and other required treatments) at hospital. We seek to understand how the routine use of PO integrated in IMCI outpatients works (or not), for whom, in what contexts and with what outcomes. METHODS: The AIRE project is being implemented from 03/2020 to 12/2022 in 202 PHCs in four West African countries (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger) including 16 research PHCs (four per country). The research protocol will assess three complementary components using mixed quantitative and qualitative methods: a) context based on repeated cross-sectional surveys: baseline and aggregated monthly data from all PHCs on infrastructure, staffing, accessibility, equipment, PO use, severe cases and care; b) the process across PHCs by assessing acceptability, fidelity, implementation challenges and realistic evaluation, and c) individual outcomes in the research PHCs: all children under-5 attending IMCI clinics, eligible for PO use will be included with parental consent in a cross-sectional study. Among them, severe IMCI cases will be followed in a prospective cohort to assess their health status at 14 days. We will analyze pathways, patterns of care, and costs of care. DISCUSSION: This research will identify challenges to the systematic implementation of PO in IMCI consultations, such as health workers practices, frequent turnover, quality of care, etc. Further research will be needed to fully address key questions such as the best time to introduce PO into the IMCI process, the best SpO2 threshold for deciding on hospital referral, and assessing the cost-effectiveness of PO use. The AIRE research will provide health policy makers in West Africa with sufficient evidence on the context, process and outcomes of using PO integrated into IMCI to promote scale-up in all PHCs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: PACTR202206525204526 retrospectively registered on 06/15/2022.

Antibiotic prescribing practices according to the AWaRe classification among children under 5 of age attending public primary care centres in four West African countries: a cross-sectional study (AIRE project, 2021-2022).

OBJECTIVE: To describe antibiotic prescribing practices using the WHO AWaRe (Access, Watch, Reserve) classification in West African children under 5 years of age attending public primary health centres (PHCs). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: The AIRE project implemented the systematic use of pulse oximetry into integrated management of childhood illness consultations in West African countries (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger). We described antibiotic prescriptions for outpatient children at 16 PHCs and for severe cases referred at district hospitals. PATIENTS: Between 14 June 2021 and 19 June 2022, 15 854 outpatients were included: 968 neonates and young infants (0-28 days) and 14 886 children (2-59 months). Among them, 78 (8.1%) neonates and young infants and 385 (2.6%) children were hospitalised. We evaluated 58 hospitalised neonates and young infants and 275 hospitalised children, respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of antibiotic prescriptions according to the AWaRe classification recommended by WHO. RESULTS: At the PHC level, proportions of neonates and young infants with ≥1 antibiotic prescription were 83%, 62%, 71% and 59% in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger, respectively. A total of 805 antibiotics were prescribed (85% Access and 13% Watch). The proportions of children with ≥1 antibiotic prescription reached 71%, 66%, 63% and 36% in Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger, respectively. Out of the 9630 antibiotics prescribed, 93% were Access (mainly amoxicillin), and 7% Watch. At the hospital level, Watch antibiotics were mainly prescribed for severe cases referred. No Reserve antibiotics were prescribed. CONCLUSIONS: High proportions of antibiotics were prescribed to outpatient children included, the appropriateness of which needs further study. Nevertheless, in every country, the proportion prescribed in the Access group reached the minimum threshold of 60% of all antibiotic prescriptions, as recommended by WHO. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PACTR202206525204526.

[Medical audit of neonatal deaths with the "three delay" model in a pediatric hospital in Ouagadougou]. / Audit médical des décès néonatals selon le modèle des trois retards, en milieu hospitalier pédiatrique de Ouagadougou.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the causes of neonatal deaths and their contributing factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used the "three-delay model" to conduct an audit of the neonatal deaths that occurred between January 2006 and December 2010 at the Charles de Gaulle University Pediatric Hospital, in Ouagadougou. RESULTS: The neonatal mortality rate was 12.3%. The main direct causes were infections (70%), cerebral distress (10%), respiratory distress (7%), congenital malformations (5.5%), prematurity (4.5%) and hemorrhagic syndromes (3%). All three delays were found: in decision making in 64.4% of cases, in access to health services in 77%, and in receiving appropriate care in 66.9%; they multiplied the risk of death by a factor of 4, 3 and 5, respectively. CONCLUSION: To reduce deaths of newborn babies, it is necessary to overcome the three delays that contribute to it, pending the improvement of socioeconomic conditions of populations. This combat requires optimizing the implementation of the subsidies for obstetric and neonatal emergency care and strengthening the involvement of all stakeholders, specifically, policy makers, the community and health professionals.

[Hemoglobinuria in children hospitalized in Ouagadougou: short term inpatient care and prognosis]. / Hémoglobinurie chez l'enfant à Ouagadougou: prise en charge hospitalière et pronostic à court terme.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to analyze the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutionary features of hemoglobinuria in children hospitalized in the Pediatric University Hospital Charles de Gaulle, Ouagadougou. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study over the period 01st July-31st December 2014. All children aged 0-15 years hospitalized in the Department of Medical Pediatrics of the Pediatric University Hospital Charles de Gaulle and diagnosed with macroscopic hemoglobinuria during the study period were enrolled. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were included in the study. Hospitalization rate for hemoglobinuria was 1.9%. The average age of patients was 80.8 ± 44.1 months (ranging from 21 to 168). The study involved 23 boys (60.5%) and 15 girls (39.5%). The major clinical signs were: fever (86.8%), dark urines like « coca cola ¼ (86.8%), pallor (63.2%), hepatomegaly (50%). Glomerular filtration flow was less than 80 mL/min/1.73m2 in 23 patients (69.7%); 21 patients had Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. The main suspected causes of hemoglobinuria were: severe malaria, bacterial and viral infections, G6PD deficiency, biliary haemoglobinuric fever. Treatments included: artemisinin derivatives, antibiotics and antipyretics. One patient underwent dialysis. CONCLUSION: Hemoglobinuria is a symptom mainly causing diagnostic problems in our context. It is a severe disorder which can result in acute renal failure (ARF).