Availability of essential newborn care resources
| Resources (n=22 hospitals) | Present n (%) |
|---|---|
| Ward organisation | |
| Most seriously ill babies are cared for in a section near nursing station | 18 (82) |
| Isolation area in neonatal unit* | 11 (50) |
| Hand hygiene | |
| Sink, clean running water and soap† | 18 (82) |
| Alcohol hand rub | 10 (46) |
| Emergency care | |
| Defined area for emergencies | 13 (59) |
| Suction equipment working (n=20)‡ | 19 (95) |
| Bag valve mask set working (n=20)‡ | 19 (95) |
| Oxygen from any source available and working | 22 (100) |
| Working pulse oximeter | 4 (18) |
| Routine care | |
| Vitamin K (n=21)§ | 18 (86) |
| All babies adequately warmed | 22 (100) |
| Special care/sick babies | |
| Working¶ phototherapy equipment (n=21)§ | 19 (91) |
| Benzylpenicillin | 22 (100) |
| Gentamicin | 18 (82) |
| Phenorbabitone injection | 17 (77) |
| Kangaroo Mother Care (in any form) | 14 (64)** |
| Paediatric burettes | 12 (55) |
| Laboratory tests | |
| Blood glucose | 22 (100) |
| Full haemogram | 22 (100) |
| Bilirubin | 19 (86) |
| Blood culture | 10 (45) |
Resource availability was assessed by direct observation (including checking drug stocks) by the researcher in the neonatal unit rather than by interviewing staff.
*Any of the following: designated isolation cot/incubator or a separate isolation room for separating sick (infected) babies from healthy ones.
†All three available.
‡These equipment (working or not) were available in 20/22 hospitals.
§Data missing for one hospital.
¶Working means the lights would turn on; irradiance was not measured.
**5/14 had a designated space for providing kangaroo care.