HUNDREDS of mothers now have safer deliveries and their babies are exposed to a healthier childhood through the implementation of Neonatal Intensive Care Services in local health facilities, via a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Guyana help the Kids (GHTK).Speaking at a colloquium yesterday, titled ‘Neonatal Network-Saving our babies’ at the Resource Centre of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Dr. Narendra Singh, founder of the GHTK, expounded on the tremendous benefits and changes that the project has brought, and will continue to bring in the reduction of under five mortality.
He said the partnership was developed by the Government and GHTK approximately one year ago, to ensure safer delivery for mothers, healthier childhood for babies and to reduce and hopefully end child mortality. The agreement between the two entities was that the ministry will construct the neonatal units and include oxygen and air conditioning while GHTK will provide all of the equipment.
It targets the five main hospitals, which are GPHC, New Amsterdam, Linden, West Demerara and Suddie hospitals. These institutions were chosen because a survey showed that they account for 85% of babies born in the country. The service was first introduced at the GPHC and later moved to the New Amsterdam and Linden hospitals.
Dr. Singh noted that the neonatal units at West Demerara Regional and Suddie hospitals are expected to be opened later this year.
Dr. Singh also noted that while equipment is necessary, what are most important are health personnel’s skills.
In this light, a Pediatric Residency Programme was developed through collaboration among several entities to train physicians to become qualified pediatricians. In September 2013, history was made when Dr. Clive Bowman and Dr. Seepersaud Chatterdeo wrote the Guyana Pediatric Residency licencing exams.
There is also a Neonatal Nurse Training programme which saw 11 nurses graduating in the first batch. Currently there are eight doctors in the Pediatric Residency Programme and 17 nurses in the nurse’s training programme.
The project also has an infection control aspect, which consists of multiple lectures and demonstrations. A retrospective review of log books and charts at GPHC was conducted in 2011 followed by prospective data collection from January 2012. This data showed a 50% reduction in the number of deaths at the hospital within the period of a year of implementation of the neonatal project.
Also in January 2013, GHTK in collaboration with Dr. Lorna Fitzpatrick from the University of Buffalo introduced an Oncology Programme to treat babies born with leukemia.
Dr. Singh also noted that efforts are being made to network the hospitals, so that doctors can connect with each other in cases where expert opinions are needed when dealing with critical cases.
Emphasis is also being placed on a safe transport system. Transport incubators are available at the GPHC and New Amsterdam Neonatal Units.
The Government of Guyana will eventually take up complete ownership of this programme when all the units are up and running and there are enough trained professionals to manage the units. The responsibility of sustaining the units and continuation of the training programmes along with purchasing of new equipment will solely be the ministry’s. This is expected to be achieved by 2016.
Among the gathering at the colloquium was Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, Director of Regional Health Services, Dr. Monica Odwin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GPHC, Michael Khan, both local and international doctors, staff of the GPHC and individuals from the private sector. (GINA)
