Global Prevalence of Severe Neonatal Jaundice among Hospital Admissions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Evidence regarding the adverse burden of severe neonatal jaundice (SNJ) in hospitalized neonates in resource-constrained settings is sparse. We attempted to determine the prevalence of SNJ, described using clinical outcome markers, in all World Health Organization (WHO) regions in the world. Data were sourced from Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, Cochrane Library, African Journals Online, and Global Index Medicus. Hospital-based studies, including the total number of neonatal admissions with at least one clinical outcome marker of SNJ, defined as acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE), exchange blood transfusions (EBT), jaundice-related death, or abnormal brainstem audio-evoked response (aBAER), were independently reviewed for inclusion in this meta-analysis. Of 84 articles, 64 (76.19%) were from low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs), and 14.26% of the represented neonates with jaundice in these studies had SNJ. The prevelance of SNJ among all admitted neonates varied across WHO regions, ranging from 0.73 to 3.34%. Among all neonatal admissions, SNJ clinical outcome markers for EBT ranged from 0.74 to 3.81%, with the highest percentage observed in the African and South-East Asian regions; ABE ranged from 0.16 to 2.75%, with the highest percentages observed in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions; and jaundice-related deaths ranged from 0 to 1.49%, with the highest percentage observed in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions. Among the cohort of neonates with jaundice, the prevalence of SNJ ranged from 8.31 to 31.49%, with the highest percentage observed in the African region; EBT ranged from 9.76 to 28.97%, with the highest percentages reported for the African region; ABE was highest in the Eastern Mediterranean (22.73%) and African regions (14.51%). Jaundice-related deaths were 13.02%, 7.52%, 2.01% and 0.07%, respectively, in the Eastern Mediterranean, African, South-East Asian and European regions, with none reported in the Americas. aBAER numbers were too small, and the Western Pacific region was represented by only one study, limiting the ability to make regional comparisons. The global burden of SNJ in hospitalized neonates remains high, causing substantial, preventable morbidity and mortality especially in LMICs.

Strengthening retinopathy of prematurity screening and treatment services in Nigeria: a case study of activities, challenges and outcomes 2017-2020.

OBJECTIVES: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) will become a major cause of blindness in Nigerian children unless screening and treatment services expand. This article aims to describe the collaborative activities undertaken to improve services for ROP between 2017 and 2020 as well as the outcome of these activities in Nigeria. DESIGN: Descriptive case study. SETTING: Neonatal intensive care units in Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Staff providing services for ROP, and 723 preterm infants screened for ROP who fulfilled screening criteria (gestational age <34 weeks or birth weight ≤2000 g, or sickness criteria). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A WhatsApp group was initiated for Nigerian ophthalmologists and neonatologists in 2018. Members participated in a range of capacity-building, national and international collaborative activities between 2017 and 2018. A national protocol for ROP was developed for Nigeria and adopted in 2018; 1 year screening outcome data were collected and analysed. In 2019, an esurvey was used to collect service data from WhatsApp group members for 2017-2018 and to assess challenges in service provision. RESULTS: In 2017 only six of the 84 public neonatal units in Nigeria provided ROP services; this number had increased to 20 by 2018. Of the 723 babies screened in 10 units over a year, 127 (17.6%) developed any ROP; and 29 (22.8%) developed type 1 ROP. Only 13 (44.8%) babies were treated, most by intravitreal bevacizumab. The screening criteria were revised in 2020. Challenges included lack of equipment to regulate oxygen and to document and treat ROP, and lack of data systems. CONCLUSION: ROP screening coverage and quality improved after national and international collaborative efforts. To scale up and improve services, equipment for neonatal care and ROP treatment is urgently needed, as well as systems to monitor data. Ongoing advocacy is also essential.

The Vulnerable Newborn of a Mentally Ill Mother in a Resource-Limited Setting.

Mental illness is not uncommon in women of childbearing age. Pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum state could precipitate mental illness in predisposed women or worsen psychiatric symptoms in those known to have mental ill-health. Maternal mental illness exposes the infant to neglect, abuse or outright harm. We aimed to report a case of a neonate born to a mentally ill mother and to highlight the challenges of management of the mother-infant dyad in a resource-constrained- setting. The hospital records of the mother and that of her baby were summarized and the literature was reviewed to contextualize the report. The index newborn suffered neglect, late presentation, under nutrition, neonatal jaundice, anaemia, and late-onset neonatal sepsis with meningitis. Postpartum maternal mental illness poses a significant challenge to the management of the mother-infant dyad. This calls for the deployment of more human and material resources that will ensure integrated and comprehensive care for a better mother-infant dyad in resource-limited settings.

Congenital absence of the nasal septum in a Nigerian newborn with multiple congenital anomalies.

Congenital absence of the nasal septum (hyporhynia) is infrequently reported in the literature. We report a rare case in a newborn with multiple congenital anomalies with the aim to highlight its rarity and compatibility with life in a resource-limited setting. The case notes of the child were summarised and the relevant literature reviewed to give the report a context. A 2-hour-old term baby boy presented with a history of abnormal facie characterised by a single nostril and noisy breathing. On examination, he had stridulous breathing, bilateral proptosis, sloping of the forehead, depressed nasal bridge absent nasal septum, absence of columella and hypoplastic mid-face, among other dysmorphic features. A diagnosis of hyporhynia in a baby with multiple congenital anomalies was made and managed accordingly. The baby was discharged to continue follow-up. Congenital absence of the nasal septum is rare and could present without respiratory distress and may be compatible with life.

Evaluation of the cognitive effect of newborn resuscitation training on health-care workers in selected states in Northern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal deaths contribute significantly to slower progress in under-5 mortality reduction. Lack of sufficiently trained birth assistants partly contributes to early neonatal deaths. Resuscitation training equips frontline health-care workers (HCWs) with requisite knowledge and skills to prevent birth asphyxia. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the immediate impact of newborn resuscitation training on cognitive ability of HCWs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive observational study using pre- and posttraining scores obtained by HCWs who were participants in 1-day training on emergency newborn resuscitation. The Newborn Resuscitation Manual of the UK Resuscitation Council (2006) was used to train HCWs. The course included lectures, skill and scenario demonstrations using mannequins, and basic resuscitation equipment. Cognitive knowledge was evaluated using a pre- and post-training questionnaire. Participants' scores were collated, analyzed, and results were presented as tables, charts, and descriptive statistics with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 293 HCWs completed the course (81 doctors and 212 nurse/midwives), with variable improvements of mean posttraining marks over the pretraining scores. Resident doctors obtained significantly higher mean pre- and post-training marks with lower mean difference than senior doctors and medical officers. The junior nurses obtained significantly higher mean pretraining scores compared to the senior nursing cadre, while the intermediate nursing cadre obtained significantly higher mean posttraining scores compared to senior nurses. CONCLUSION: Resuscitation training improved the knowledge of HCWs. Further evaluation could ascertain impacts on knowledge/skills' retention and neonatal survival. Preservice training and continuing education for frontline HCWs who conduct deliveries are recommended.