Main Article Content

Abstract

Introduction: The burden of neonatal death is still high in developing countries where most of the causes could be prevented.

Objective: To determine the knowledge and practice of mothers on essential newborn care.

Patients and Methods: This was a cross sectional study carried out in four health facilities in Garoua city, Northern Cameroon, from November 2010 to April 2011. Three hundred and forty seven mothers were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. Sociodemographic data were collected and information was gathered on cord care, thermal care, breastfeeding and vaccines, The main outcome was good practices of essential neonatal care.

Results: The mean age of mothers was 25.14 ± 5.70 years. Analphabetism counted for 152 (43.8%). The antenatal history revealed that 211 (60.8%) mothers had at least four ANC. The mean age of their newborns was 14.71 ± 6.40 days. The use of sterile material for cutting umbilical cord was reported by 307 (88.5%) mothers and 5 (1.4%) said they received information on newborn’s danger signs. Traditional substances was applied on the cord by 188 (54.2) mothers while eye care without any eye disease was continued for 2 to 7 days by 194 (85.4%) mothers. Six hours delayed first bath was given by 244 (70.3%) mothers and breastfeeding within one hour by 154 (44.3%). BCG and oral Polio vaccine was received by 315 (90.8%) and 316 (91%) newborns respectively. Insecticide-treated bed nets were used by 226 (65.1%) mothers.

Conclusion: This study revealed that mothers were not knowledgeable on danger signs and they had poor practice on breastfeeding, eye care and cord care. The quality of ANC should be enhanced and tutoring of mothers on the practice of essential newborn care at immediate postpartum is necessary. 

Keywords

Knowledge and Practice Mothers Essential Newborn Care Health facilities.

Article Details

How to Cite
Monebenimp, F., ENGANEMBEN MONGO, M., CHELO, D., FOUMANE, P., Kamta, C., & KUABAN, C. (2013). MOTHERS’ KNOWLEDGE AND PRATICE ON ESSENTIAL NEWBORN CARE AT HEALTH FACILITIES IN GAROUA CITY, CAMEROON. HEALTH SCIENCES AND DISEASE, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.5281/hsd.v14i2.177

References

  1. World Health Organization. Newborn deaths decrease but account for higher share of global child deaths. WHO 2012. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2011/newborn_deaths_20110830/en/index.html (accessed november 2012)
  2. Lawn JE, Cousens S, Zupan J; 4 million neonatal deaths. When? Where? Why? Lancet. 2005 Mar 5-11;365(9462):891-900.
  3. Institut National de la Statistique (INS) et Measure DHS ICF International. Enquête Démographique et de Santé du Cameroun. rapport préliminaire 2011.
  4. Monebenimp F, Makudjou T, Mve Koh V, Kago I. Competence of health care providers on care of newborns at birth in a level-1 health facility in Yaoundé, Cameroon. PAMJ 2012;11:45
  5. Ministère de la Santé Publique. Plan stratégique de la Campagne d'Accélération de la Réduction de la Mortalité Maternelle en Afrique (CARMMA) 2011-2013. Ministère de la Santé Publique, Cameroun 2011.
  6. Ministère de la Santé Publique. Guide national des protocoles et normes en santé de reproduction. MINSANTE 2008.
  7. WHO Danger signs
  8. Shahjahan MD, Ahmed MR, Rahman MM, Afroz A. Factors affecting newborn care practices in Bangladesh. Pediatr Perinatol Epidemiol 2012;26 (1):13-18.
  9. Rahi M, Taneja DK, Misra A, Mathur NB, Badhan S. Newborn care practices in an urban slum of Dehli. Indian J Med Sci 2006;60(12):506-513.
  10. American academy of Pediatrics. Committee on fetus and newborn: Controversies concerning vit K and the newborns. Pediatrics 2003; 112:191-192.
  11. Rakotoseheno H, Rakotonirina EJ, Randriatsarafara FM, Rakotonantoanina J, Randrianarimanana VD, Rakotomanga FDM et al. Consultations prénatales et mortalité périnatale à Madagascar. J Gynecol obstet Biol Reprod 2008;37(5) :505-509.
  12. Prakash Upadhyay R, Singh B, Raï SK, Anand K. Role of cultural beliefs in influencing selected newborn care practices in rural Haryana. J trop Pediatr 2012/ fmr 113
  13. Darmstadt GL, Syed U, Patel Z, Kabir N. Review of domiciliary newborn care practices in Bangladesh. J Health Pop Nutr 2006; 24(4):380-393.
  14. Waiswa P, Kemigisa M, kiguli J, Naikoba S, Pariyo GW, Peterson S. Acceptability of evidence-based neonatal care practices in rural Uganda—Implication for programming. BMC pregnancy and child birth 2008;8:21.
  15. Ambe JP, Bello M, Yahaya SJ, Omotara BA. Umbilical cord care practices in Konduga local government area of Borno state North-Eastern Nigeria. The Internet J Trop Med 2009;5(2).
  16. Warm and temperature regulation. Lucile Packard children’s hospital at Stanford. 2012. www. lpch.org/disease health info/health library/hrnewborn/warmth.html
  17. East of England Neonatal Benchmarking Group members. Clinical guidelines: thermoregulation. 2011, http://www.neonatal.org.uk/documents/5089.pdf (accessed november 2012)
  18. Mother and newborn skin-to-skin contact. http://www.Publications.Paho.org/english/chapter_2_op+195.pdf (accessed november 2012)
  19. Pratibha Gupta, Srivastava VK, Kumar V, Jain S, Masood J, Ahmad N et al . Newborn care practices in urban slums of Lucknow city, UP. Indian J Community Med. 2010;35(1):82-85.
  20. Rasolofomanana R, Rakotovas JP, Bazant E, Tripathi V. Qualité des soins dans la prevention et la prise en charge des complications courantes chez la mère et le nouveau-né dans les formations sanitaires à Madagascar. MC HIP/USAID Jhpiego Brown’s warf Baltimore, Maryland 21231-3492, Etats Unis 2011 ; p 24-25.
  21. Ayaz A, Saleem S. Neonatal morbidity and prevalence of malpractices for newborn care in squatter settlement of Karachi, Pakistan: a cross sectional study. PLoS One 2010; 5(11):e13783.
  22. Rogers NL, Abdi J, Moore D, Nd’iangui S, Smith LJ, Carlson AJ et al. Public Health Nutr 2011;&’(11)2029-36.
  23. Ubajaka FC, Ukegbu AU, Okafor NJ, Ejofor O. The prevalence of missed opportunity for immuzation among children utilizing immunization services in Nnamdi Azikiwe university teaching hospital, Nnewi. J Biol Agri Healthcare 2012; 2(6).
  24. Waiswa P, Peterson S, Tomson G, Pariyo GW. Poor newborn care practices - a population based survey in Eastern Uganda. BMC pregnancy and child birth 2010; 10:9..

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 3 > >>