Mpilo Central Hospital officials in Bulawayo said despite global and national declines in child mortality, progress in reducing neonatal deaths remains stagnant.
Speaking at the Patient Safety Day programme held on Wednesday at the hospital, under the theme “Safe care for every newborn and every child,” Consultant Paediatrician, Dr Wedu Ndebele, noted that while overall child mortality has declined, neonatal deaths have not shown a corresponding drop.
“When I was in training, neonatal deaths contributed to about 38 percent of under-five deaths. Today, globally, neonatal deaths contribute about 50 percent of all under-five deaths. This signifies that we have not had an effective impact on neonatal deaths as we have in other programmes,” said Ndebele.
He said neonatal deaths have neither increased nor decreased significantly, highlighting the need to focus efforts on ensuring newborn survival.
“Our efforts have not been very successful in reducing neonatal deaths and hence we now contribute 50 percent of all under-five deaths. The focus is on them today, to make them safe so that they survive,” Ndebele added.
Mpilo Hospital Acting Director of Operations, Phineas Sithole, called for patient safety to be recognised as a right rather than a privilege.
“When we receive a patient in the hospital, we are entering an agreement to help them recover from their illness,” he said.
“This must be done in a safe environment, not only safe from injury but also from malnutrition and other preventable harms. We should look at the individual holistically, explain what is happening, discuss with the patient, and listen to them.”
Mpilo Hospital Public Relations Officer, Sister Noma Mabhena, reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to safer healthcare.
“Today we join the global community in reaffirming our commitment to making healthcare safer for every patient who passes through our hands,” said Mabhena.
Child deaths remain a pressing concern at Mpilo and last year CITE investigated how 280 child deaths were recorded in the first four months of 2024, most of them neonatal.
Read: https://cite.org.zw/mpilo-hospital-faces-surge-in-child-deaths/
Neonatal deaths occur within the first 28 days of life and are often linked to preventable conditions such as premature birth, lack of oxygen at birth, infections, and birth defects.
Statistics showed that child deaths increased between January and March 2024 before dropping in April, despite ongoing Ministry of Health and Child Care interventions to protect pregnant women and newborns.
Neonatal mortality is a critical component of child mortality, which measures deaths of children under five per 1 000 live births.
Officials say targeted interventions, improved patient safety practices, and community awareness are essential to reversing the trend and ensuring that every newborn has a chance to survive and thrive.
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