Paediatric medical services in Tobago (1980-1986) - abstract

ABSTRACT

This study examined the pattern of admissions to and deaths and transfers from the children's ward of the County Hospital, Tobago, between 1980 and 1986. Data on admissions, births and premature births, deaths and newborn deaths were obtained from the Hospital's annual reports. The medcial records of children who died and of those who were transferred to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital were reviewed. Each year there were from 900 to 1075 births with 12 to 31 (mean 19) newborn deaths. There were from 843 to 1060 children admitted with 3 to 14 (mean 7) deaths. Six deaths were due to "surgical" causes and 34 were 'medical'. One third of total ward deaths were from lower respiratory tract infection. This is high when compared with national (13.8 percent) and Port-of-Spain General Hospital (23.2 percent) rates. Four of five children with acute gastroenteritis and dehydration died more than twenty-four hours after admission. Two sicklers with fever received no antibiotics for twenty-four hours. A child with cloudy cerebrospinal fluid received 80 mg/kg/d of ampicillin for the first day of treatment. There were 64 transfers 40 were neonates, of which 23 had severe neonatal jaundice. The rate of transfer is increasing yearly. These observations suggest that there should be a paediatrician resident in Tobago (AU)