ABSTRACT
Abstract: One of the challenges of managing significant neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in resource-poor settings is limited access to effective phototherapy devices hence the need to try appropriate technologies. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of Compact Fluorescent Lamps phototherapy devices in the management of significant neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in a resource-poor setting. A cohort of babies with significant hyperbilirubinaemia managed with locally fabricated Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) phototherapy devices (2014-2016) were compared with historical controls managed with conventional imported phototherapy devices (2007-2010) for the severity of hyperbilirubinaemia and requirements for Exchange Blood Transfusion. A total of 96 babies in the subject group and 202 babies in the control group were studied. The proportion of babies with peak TSB >30mg/dl was significantly higher among the controls compared to the subjects (p < 0.001). The interval between the commencement of phototherapy and the peak TSB was greater than 1 day among 30.2% (29/96) subjects compared to 74.3% (150/202) babies in the control group (p < 0.001). The mean duration of phototherapy was significantly shorter for the subjects compared to the controls. EBT was performed for 38.5% of the subjects and 51.5% of the controls. Single sessions of EBT were required for 78.4% of the subjects compared to 45.2% of the controls (p = 0.001). In conclusion, the locally fabricated Compact Fluorescent Lamps phototherapy devices reduced EBT rate among babies with significant hyperbilirubinaemia