Georgetown, Guyana, April 16 to 28, 2023. PAHO/WHO/ Latin American Center of Perinatology/Women and Reproductive Health (CLP/WR) and Ministry of Health: Maternal and Child Health Unit conducted Neonatal assessments at five hospitals: Regional Hospitals -Suddie, New Amsterdam, West Demerara Linden, and the National Referral Hospital at the Georgetown Public Hospital.
According to Statistics, in 2020, Guyana’s neonatal mortality was 23.8 per 1,000. PAHO/WHO Guyana CO and the Latin American Center of Perinatology/Women and Reproductive Health (CLP/WR) has been collaborating with the Ministry of Health to train Health Care Providers in Helping Babies Breathe initiative and conducted a national assessment of five main neonatal health facilities, to reduce this rate and achieve the SDG 2030 target of at least 12 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The objective of this Assessment was to ascertain the quality of care, gaps, and recommendations to improve neonatal care at the national and regional levels. The methodology included participatory Assessment with the staff from PAHO, MOH, and staff hospitals.
The areas assessed were maternal and perinatal, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and outpatient clinic environments.
Sixty percent of the facilities which conduct deliveries were assessed. The dimensions of the assessment included safety and cleanness; standards of care; equipment and supplies; essential newborn care; Infection Prevention and Control; respiratory support and monitoring and evaluation Introductions and presentation of objectives and methodology to authorities and staff. Pre -established tools and observation were also included in the assessment dialogue/exchange with member staff. At the end of the assessment there was the final debriefing with staff.
Findings on the neonatal assessment achievements noted that most of the facilities are clean and that the main referral hospital had protocols of referrals, norms, and standards. The staff was trained by a team at the main referral Hospital. Some of the challenges noted were the short Infection Prevention and Control measures in some of the hospitals, lack and maintenance of neonatal equipment, inadequate standard operating procedures, the need for training in neonatal care for health care workers, formulation of a working committee to improve coordination of activities at the National and Regional.
The regional advisor of CLP/SMR, expressed that these instances in the territory are particularly important because "they allow contact with the real needs of the health systems and the people". … "It is essential to follow up and achieve the commitment of the States to change realities. There is evidence about what is needed and what should be done to reduce neonatal mortality. We need to create the conditions to make it happen.”
PAHO Office y Guyana and CLP/WR would work together on recommendations which include support to the provision of equipment, neonatal training, possible implementation of SIP neonatal, simulators and equipment for training on essential newborn care and prevention of asphyxia and support the technical committee on neonatal health to ensure that Guyana attains the Sustainable Development Goals of 2030. PAHO would like to give special thanks to CLP, facilitators, health workers, and all those at the national and regional level who assisted in this neonatal Assessment.
It should be noted that this technical visit was conducted within the framework of the “Improved Health of Women and Adolescents girls in Situations of Vulnerability” project, funded by Global Affairs Canada.
