Community based newborn care is possible

A community health worker is seen assessing a newborn baby at home immediately after birth. The photo was taken in a remote village of Zakiganj, Sylhet on August 19, 2010. Photo: Tareq Salahuddin

Global studies including Bangladesh provide evidence that up to two thirds of newborn deaths could be prevented if known effective health measures were provided at birth and during first week of life.
According to a Community Based Post Natal Care study in Bangladesh, the existing government community health workers are capable to provide this service and currently they can effectively provide the service to three forth of our newborns.
The study was conducted by The Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Bangladesh (OGSB) with the help of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It was monitored by Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), evaluated by National Institute of Population Research and Training (NIPORT) and supported by Saving Newborn Lives program of Save the Children.
Although early postnatal care is crucial to save newborn, the recent maternal mortality survey shows only 23 percent newborns receive postnatal care within 2 days of life, nearly all of them born in facilities. There is almost no community based postnatal care by community health workers. As most delivery takes place at home, providing postnatal care at community level is dire need of the time to save most of the at risk newborns.
In order to reveal the study results and provide recommendation based on the study, all the partners who accomplished the study have arranged a dissemination seminar recently at a local hotel in the city, says a press release.
Speakers of the seminar said that necessary change in the job description and training of the community health workers to provide community based postnatal care can make a big difference to save most of our newborns from early grave. They urged to implement the postnatal care immediately.