Neonatal facilities in Guyana staff shortage, efforts still made to reduce neonatal mortality.

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

#Guyana, October 13, 2023 – The fight to reduce neonatal mortality in Guyana continues and staff shortage is a problem factor in reaching the desired goals set by the country.

Dr. Gillian Birchwood, Chief Neonatologist at Queen Elizabeth Barbados highlighted this issue in a video on PAHO TV on October 11th.

She said there are major challenges with staffing, particularly nursing and physician staffing and she later highlighted that the NICU becomes labor intensive without adequate staffing, consequently affecting the outcomes of the unit.

The PAHO video alluded to 2020 statistics for neonatal mortality in the country and it informed that the rate stood at 23.8 per 1000 live births, a figure that failed to align with the commitments made by the country and the region.

However, despite these challenges PAHO in Guyana and the Latin America Center for Perinatology, Women’s and Reproductive Health (CLP/WR) joined forces to see the reduction of neonatal mortality rate, the video informed.

In April of 2023, a technical visit was organized and conducted to train health care providers in an initiative called “Helping Babies Breathe” as well as evaluate five neonatal health reference facilities.

Coming out of these visits, actions and recommendations were pinpointed to enhance and fortify neonatal care at the national level and within the varying regions of the country. 

Additionally collaborative efforts were fostered with PAHO staff, Guyana’s Ministry of Health and hospital directors to bring about solutions.

Also, international efforts have played a role in helping the country as between 2022 and 2023, more than 200 people have taken part in exchanges and training under PAHO, supported by the Canadian Government.

Efforts such as equipment provision, training and many more continue to be made by the PAHO office in Guyana and CLP/WR.