WORLD WARRIORS GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES: UGANDA
Join us as we explore our Global Neonatal Womb! As we seek to expand our introspective capacities we hope to increase our knowledge and understanding of our global families, their challenges, resources and research. Over time, with open minds and hearts, we will take a “peek” into Neonatal Womb communities around the world.
Our Journey begins with a wander into Healthy Newborn Network. HNN is a global community of maternal and newborn health professionals and practitioners who state in their website “about” section “The Healthy Newborn Network (HNN) is an online community dedicated to addressing critical knowledge gaps in newborn health”. The resources available through this expansive and globally connected online resource amazed and excited us.
The Healthy Newborn Network: http://www.healthynewbornnetwork.org/
Today, we visit Uganda:
The Republic of Uganda, a landlocked country in East Africa , is the world’s second most populous landlocked country. Uganda is one of the poorest nations in the world. In Uganda, 226,000 babies are born too soon each year and 12,500 children under five die due to direct preterm birth complications. Leading causes of neonatal deaths in Uganda (2013) include 31% due to preterm birth complications. Of the 10 Elements of Care recommended by WHO (World Health Organization) for improved preterm birth outcomes included in Uganda’s clinical standards of care are tocolytics, magnesium sulfate, antibiotics for preterm premature rupture of membranes, and kangaroo mother care.
Link: http://www.healthynewbornnetwork.org/hnn-content/uploads/Uganda-1.pdf
In RECENT NEWS from Uganda Sandra Janet Birungi posted the following article related to preterm births on April 4, 2016 in the Daily Monitor: Study shows new method to test premature babies.
” KAMPALA. In the absence of weighing scales, measuring the size of a baby’s foot using the foot length card and danger sign screening cards can help identify if a baby is premature or has low birth weight, a new study has shown.
The study by the Makerere School of Public Health, which is being carried out in Iganga and Mayuge districts, targeted 80,000 women. Preliminary results registered a high survival rate for high risk babies admitted to the health facilities and those delivered at home. “Within four months, the trained 150 village health teams (VHTs) helped identify and counsel 764 mothers. Of these, 83 per cent were visited in the first 48 hours. VHTs screened and identified 78 high risk babies of whom 32 were low birth weight or preterm babies,” the study titled reads in part.
Dr. Getrude Namazzi, the lead researcher, said of the 280 high risk babies admitted to Iganga hospital for the past four months, 40 per cent were low birth weight. Of these, 91 per cent survived and were discharged alive and well.
Feet have more than 80 per cent sensitivity and specificity so they can be used to find low birth weight and pre-term babies and we have just found out that it works. The study has proved that high risk babies can survive and thrive even in resource-constrained settings using low cost strategies” Dr. Namazzi said while releasing the results in Kampala last Wednesday. “
Thank you Uganda! We honor your journey…….
WARRIORS! Wonder if people can surf in landlocked countries like Uganda? Catch this video
Video embedded · How do you surf in a landlocked country?
Aloha nui loa!
The Neonatal Womb Warriors 