Review of neonatal admissions; Lilongwe 1991

Data for 1199 neonatal admissions to the special care nursery in Lilongwe during 1991 were analyzed in relation to birth weight; mode and place of delivery; diagnoses; outcome; and length of stay. This paper is an audit of these admissions

Paediatric anaemia at Kamuzu Central Hospital

This retrospective study assessed the outcome of children admitted during a six week period to KCH with anaemia. 19 percent of admissions had a primary discharge diagnosis of anaemia and there was a 12 percent mortality. et2 percent had a diagnosis that included both malaria and anaemia; but malaria was only documentated in 36 percent. Malaria may be over-diagnosed. More data is required to determine whether delays in obtaining blood for transfusion influence mortality

Who uses the under-five clinic at Kamuzu Central Hospital

Only five percent of a quasi-randomly selected sample of 300 infants attending the underfive clinic at Kamuzu Central Hospital [KCH] had been referred. Twenty-two percent of the self-referred infants had previously visited their closest health centre for this illness. Reasons given for bypassing their closest health centre included: KCH closest health facility (52 percent); factors related to positive image of KCH (53 percent); and factors related to a negative image of the health centre (48 percent). Personnel at the under-five clinic at KCH can prescribe central hospital drugs as opposed to health centre drugs (as outlined in the Malawi Standard Drug List of 1987). Primary health care facilities at central hospitals should be equivalent; in terms of drugs and personnel; to facilities at health centres

Paediatric disease profile and referral patterns: Kamuzu Central Hospital - 1989

The majority of paediatric admissions to Kamuzu Central Hospital [KCH] are uncomplicated routine medical problems. Only 8 percent of a random sample of 296 admissions to the children's ward; KCH were referred from District or PHAM hospitals. Other referrals were from within Lilongwe district. Leading causes of admission were anemia and malaria (29 percent); malnutrition (11 percent) and acute respiratory infections (9 percent). 20 percent were surgical patients and these patients had an average stay of 18 days and accounted for 45 percent of bed occupancy. Malnutrition patients had an average stay of 11 days and were the leading medical cause of bed occupancy (16 percent). Comparison of the study data with statistics from the Health Information Systems [HIS] suggested that only 61 percent of the paediatric admissions to KCH during 1989 were reported. However the disease profile and case-fatality rates of the study data and the HIS data were similar. Effective health planning relies in reliable data and improving the collection of inpatient data should be seen as an important goal

A paediatric handbook for Malawi

This book aims to be a practical guide to pediatrics for hospital based Malawian clinicians; both clinical officers and junior doctors. Background information is included where it helps in the understanding of disease management. The book is; as far as possible; a concensus view of pediatric practice in Malawi