The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has announced that has made significant strides in the area of Maternal and Neonatal Care, with the hospital registering significant declines in both maternal and neonatal deaths.
A total of ten maternal deaths were recorded over for this year in addition to 98 neonatal deaths. A Neonate is a newborn baby that is less than four weeks old.
At the hospital’s end-of-year press conference today, Coordinator of Neonatal Services, Dr. Sara Singh reported that patient care has been improving steadily at the hospital.
“Of the total number of patients delivered at GPHC, and the patients seen at the emergency room, we have unfortunately lost 98 neonates in total to date. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the lowest number of deaths in one calendar year ever recorded in this hospital’s history,” Dr Singh reported.
In November, the hospital recorded its lowest number of deaths in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), that number being one.
In painting a picture of progress made in reducing deaths of neonates, Dr Singh explained that in 2019, there were 124 deaths, followed by 118 deaths in 2020 and 2021, and some 129 deaths in 2022.
It was further disclosed that between 2012 and 2022, the hospital recorded an average of 150 neonatal deaths.
Dr Singh attributed the hospital’s success in this regard to the introduction of a number of systems and equipment including the addition of 10 warmers and 10 incubators.
Meanwhile, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr Rafi Rozan told the news conference that his department recorded a decline in maternal deaths when compared to 2022 and 2021.
“Do note that in 2023, we would have had 10 maternal deaths as compared to the two previous years, there would have been a decline – seven of which are direct deaths and two of which are indirect deaths, and one yet to be classified,” he detailed.
In 2022, the hospital recorded 16 maternal deaths, while in 2021, some 17 maternal deaths were recorded.
He said of the patients who died at the GPHC, seven were transferred from other hospitals, with six of them in a critical condition.
There were a number of stillbirths recorded.
“With regards to stillbirths, you do know that the world health organization defines stillbirth as a baby who dies after 28 weeks of pregnancy but before or during birth. Now, globally, there is an estimation of approximately 2 million stillbirths per year. It means one stillbirth every 16 seconds. Now, here would could appreciate that in 2023, we had 54 stillbirths,” Dr Rozan explained.
In total, the Georgetown Hospital recorded a total of 4,860 deliveries so far for this year.
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