Background: Neonatal
survival bespeaks the quality of
neonatal care services available
and accessible to the population.
Intensive care improves outcome
of high-risk infants with serious
illness. The tiered level of care is
yet to be applied to newborn care
in Nigeria. Classification of care
is key to improving neonatal survival
with enhanced referral of
high-risk patients to higher-level
centres.
Objective: To ascertain the scope
and classify available newborn
services offered at major Nigerian
hospitals.
Methodology: A semi-structured
validated questionnaire was administered
to attendees during
2015 Pediatric Association of
Nigeria conference. The information
derived was used to categorize
neonatal care services.
Results: The respondents consisted
of doctors 201 (84.8%) and
nurses 36 (15.2%) in 54 health
facilities from all geopolitical
regions of Nigeria. Of the 54 facilities,
34 (63%) were located in
state capitals and 47 (87%) in public
hospitals. Half of the evaluated
units belonged to Class I, 22
(40.7%) Class II, and 5 (9.3%)
Class III levels of neonatal care.
Majority (81.6%) of the doctors
have been trained on neonatal resuscitation;
with senior residents
being the highest 49 (89%) and
Medical officers (MO) the least 4
(40%) trained. Doctors with training
in mechanical ventilation
(MV) were 39.2%; Consultants
(51.2%), MO’s the least 1(11.2%)
trained (p=0.025). Monitoring is
usually by pulse oximeters 54
(100%), multi parameter monitors
23 (42.6%) and rarely ABGs 6
(11%).
Conclusion: Neonatal care in Nigeria
is still developing. Most centres
provide basic neonatal care
services. Regionalization of care
may be the solution to higher level
neonatal care.