Reducing Neonatal Mortality in Resource-poor Settings: What works?

Abstract

Every year over 3 million newborn babies die during their first month of life. Although the situation has improved greatly over the last two decades, survival beyond the neonatal period is still a challenge in resource-poor settings. When crude numbers are examined, most of these deaths occur in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, China and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but high neonatal mortality rates can be seen throughout the developing world, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Basic interventions are unavailable in many resource-poor settings. There is, however, a growing body of evidence which can guide clinicians and policymakers in these environments in the use of inexpensive, yet effective, interventions to help reduce the burden of neonatal mortality. It is estimated that effective implementation and high coverage of these interventions could prevent up to 70% of neonatal deaths globally.