Assessment of Facility Based Newborn Care Units in a Northern State of India

Abstract

International Journal of Medicine and Public Health,2023,13,2,51-58.DOI:10.5530/ijmedph.2023.2.10Published:September 2023Type:Original Article Assessment of Facility Based Newborn Care Units in a Northern State of IndiaGaurav Pandey, Jaganjeet Kaur, Rupsa Banerjee, and Suresh Dalpath Gaurav Pandey1, Jaganjeet Kaur1, Rupsa Banerjee1,*, Suresh Dalpath2 1Department of Health Management, International Institute of Health Management Research, New Delhi, Delhi, INDIA. 2Public Health Planning, Policy and Monitoring and Evaluation, Haryana State Health Resource Centre Panchkula, Haryana, INDIA. Abstract:Background: In 2011, in an effort to increase focus on newborn care and survival, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, formally introduced the three-tier Facility Based Newborn Care (FBNC) system at various levels of health facilities. This study evaluates the functional status of newborn care facilities in a northern state of India. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional, mixed methods, descriptive study was conducted during the months of May to July 2021. Six districts were selected for the study representing each of the six administrative divisions of the state. A total of 31 facility based newborn care units were assessed, including six Special Newborn Care Units (SNCU), six Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSU) and 19 Newborn Care Corners (NBCC). Human resources availability and training, infrastructure, equipment and supplies, adherence to standard operating procedures, infection control protocols and regular maintenance of records were assessed. Overall functional status was ascertained using five criteria: Equipment, Human resources, Protocol, Infrastructure and Recordkeeping. Results: Though the prescribed strength of manpower was available at almost all facilities, most reported that they had not received specific on-the-job training on newborn care. Infrastructure and biomedical waste disposal facility was found to be adequate at all levels. However, the complete set of prescribed essential neonatal care equipment was not available and functional in any of the NBSUs and in a very small number of SNCUs and NBCCs. Most of the SNCUs and NBCCs were found to be partially functional according to the set criteria. Conclusion: Adequate functionality of NBSUs needs to be ensured in order to maximize the benefits of the three-tier system of FBNC. Keywords:Assessment, Facility based newborn care, Health systems framework, Neonatal mortality., Newborn care unitsView:PDF (242.65 KB)