BACKGROUND: Neonatal care is not available to most neonates in developing countries because hospitals are inaccessible and costly. We developed a package of home-based neonatal care, including management of sepsis (septicaemia, meningitis, pneumonia), and tested it in the field, with the hypothesis that it would reduce the neonatal mortality rate by at least 25% in 3 years. METHODS: We chose 39 intervention and 47 control villages in the Gadchiroli district in India, collected baseline data for 2 years (1993-95), and then introduced neonatal care in the intervention villages (1995-98). Village health workers trained in neonatal care made home visits and managed birth asphyxia, premature birth or low birthweight, hypothermia, and breast-feeding problems. They diagnosed and treated neonatal sepsis. Assistance by trained traditional birth attendants, health education, and fortnightly supervisory visits were also provided. Other workers recorded all births and deaths in the intervention and the control area (1993-98) to estimate mortality rates. FINDINGS: Population characteristics in the intervention and control areas, and the baseline mortality rates (1993-95) were similar. Baseline (1993-95) neonatal mortality rate in the intervention and the control areas was 62 and 58 per 1000 live births, respectively. In the third year of intervention 93% of neonates received home-based care. Neonatal, infant, and perinatal mortality rates in the intervention area (net percentage reduction) compared with the control area, were 25.5 (62.2%), 38.8 (45.7%), and 47.8 (71.0%), respectively (p<0.001). Case fatality in neonatal sepsis declined from 16.6% (163 cases) before treatment, to 2.8% (71 cases) after treatment by village health workers (p<0.01). Home-based neonatal care cost US$5.3 per neonate, and in 1997-98 such care averted one death (fetal or neonatal) per 18 neonates cared for. INTERPRETATION: Home-based neonatal care, including management of sepsis, is acceptable, feasible, and reduced neonatal and infant mortality by nearly 50% among our malnourished, illiterate, rural study population. Our approach could reduce neonatal mortality substantially in developing countries.
High levels of neonatal mortality and lack of access to neonatal health care are widespread problems in developing countries. A field trial of home-based neonatal care (HBNC) was conducted in rural Gadchiroli, India to develop and test the feasibility of a low-cost approach of delivering primary neonatal care by using the human potential available in villages, and to evaluate its effect on neonatal mortality. In the first half of this article we summarize various aspects of the field trial, presented in the previous 11 articles in this issue of the journal supplement. The background, objectives, study design and interventions in the field trial and the results over 10 years (1993 to 2003) are presented. Based on these results, the hypotheses are tested and conclusions presented. In the second half, we discuss the next questions: can it be replicated? Can this intervention become a part of primary health-care services? What is the cost and the cost-effectiveness of HBNC? The limitations of the approach, the settings where HBNC might be relevant and the management pre-requisites for its scaling up are also discussed. The need to develop an integrated approach is emphasized. A case for newborn care in the community is made for achieving equity in health care.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of home-based neonatal care on birth asphyxia and to compare the effectiveness of two types of workers and three methods of resuscitation in home delivery. STUDY DESIGN: In a field trial of home-based neonatal care in rural Gadchiroli, India, birth asphyxia in home deliveries was managed differently during different phases. Trained traditional birth attendants (TBA) used mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the baseline years (1993 to 1995). Additional village health workers (VHWs) only observed in 1995 to 1996. In the intervention years (1996 to 2003), they used tube-mask (1996 to 1999) and bag-mask (1999 to 2003). The incidence, case fatality (CF) and asphyxia-specific mortality rate (ASMR) during different phases were compared. RESULTS: During the intervention years, 5033 home deliveries occurred. VHWs were present during 84% home deliveries. The incidence of mild birth asphyxia decreased by 60%, from 14% in the observation year (1995 to 1996) to 6% in the intervention years (p<0.0001). The incidence of severe asphyxia did not change significantly, but the CF in neonates with severe asphyxia decreased by 47.5%, from 39 to 20% (p<0.07) and ASMR by 65%, from 11 to 4% (p<0.02). Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation reduced the ASMR by 12%, tube-mask further reduced the CF by 27% and the ASMR by 67%. The bag-mask showed an additional decrease in CF of 39% and in the fresh stillbirth rate of 33% in comparison to tube-mask (not significant). The cost of bag and mask was US dollars 13 per averted death. Oxytocic injection administered by unqualified doctors showed an odds ratio of three for the occurrence of severe asphyxia or fresh stillbirth. CONCLUSIONS: Home-based interventions delivered by a team of TBA and a semiskilled VHW reduced the asphyxia-related neonatal mortality by 65% compared to only TBA. The bag-mask appears to be superior to tube-mask or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, with an estimated equipment cost of US dollars 13 per death averted.
Neonatal care is not available to most neonates in developing countries because hospitals are inaccessible and costly. We developed a package of home-based neonatal care, including management of sepsis (septicaemia, meningitis, pneumonia), and tested it in the field, with the hypothesis that it would reduce the neonatal mortality rate by at least 25% in 3 years.
METHODS:
We chose 39 intervention and 47 control villages in the Gadchiroli district in India, collected baseline data for 2 years (1993-95), and then introduced neonatal care in the intervention villages (1995-98). Village health workers trained in neonatal care made home visits and managed birth asphyxia, premature birth or low birthweight, hypothermia, and breast-feeding problems. They diagnosed and treated neonatal sepsis. Assistance by trained traditional birth attendants, health education, and fortnightly supervisory visits were also provided. Other workers recorded all births and deaths in the intervention and the control area (1993-98) to estimate mortality rates.
FINDINGS:
Population characteristics in the intervention and control areas, and the baseline mortality rates (1993-95) were similar. Baseline (1993-95) neonatal mortality rate in the intervention and the control areas was 62 and 58 per 1000 live births, respectively. In the third year of intervention 93% of neonates received home-based care. Neonatal, infant, and perinatal mortality rates in the intervention area (net percentage reduction) compared with the control area, were 25.5 (62.2%), 38.8 (45.7%), and 47.8 (71.0%), respectively (p<0.001). Case fatality in neonatal sepsis declined from 16.6% (163 cases) before treatment, to 2.8% (71 cases) after treatment by village health workers (p<0.01). Home-based neonatal care cost US$5.3 per neonate, and in 1997-98 such care averted one death (fetal or neonatal) per 18 neonates cared for.
INTERPRETATION:
Home-based neonatal care, including management of sepsis, is acceptable, feasible, and reduced neonatal and infant mortality by nearly 50% among our malnourished, illiterate, rural study population. Our approach could reduce neonatal mortality substantially in developing countries.
