KOFORIDUA, GHANA, 21 AUGUST 2008 -- In response to the prevailing neonatal mortality rates for Ghana which stands at 43 per 1000 live births, the first training of trainers to build the national capacity to carry out essential newborn care has been held in Koforidua, capital of the Eastern Region of Ghana from 21 - 25 July 2008.

Twenty medical officers and PMTCT focal persons from Ghana and Sierra Leone attended the training which aimed at updating the trainers with evidence based knowledge and skills in care of the newborn baby by using WHO Pregnancy Childbirth Postpartum Newborn Care (PCPNC); improve the clinical and inter personal skills of trainers and to prepare and enable them teach the Essential Newborn Care Course.

The training also follows on the Lancet neonatal series in 2005 which provided a timely call for action for health managers to target newborns in their quest to reach the millennium development goals.

Each year, over four million babies less than one month of age die, most of them during the critical first week of life, and for every newborn who dies, another is still born . The Lancet series made recommendations for possible interventions for this range of neonatal mortality such as the need to strengthen health systems as well as community interventions.

The opening session was attended by the Regional Director of Health Services, Eastern Region, and Director Clinical Care Division, Koforidua Regional Hospital. Participants were informed that, there is a widely shared but mistaken idea that improvements in newborn health require sophisticated and expensive technologies and highly specialized skill.

The reality however is that many conditions that result in perinatal death can be prevented or treated without sophisticated and expensive technology. What is important is essential care during pregnancy, the assistance of a person with midwifery skills during child birth and the immediate post partum period and a few interventions for the newborn during the first days of life.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa WHO/AFRO provided technical assistance through two external consultants, Dr Chisembele, the Course Director, and Facilitator, Dr Govedi, with financial assistance by WHO and UNICEF.

The five day training comprised of presentations in plenary sessions, clinical practice, group work and practical review. There was an initial plenary session to orient participants on the need of the Course.

Participants were taken through the WHO Pregnancy Childbirth Postpartum Newborn Care (PCPNC): A guide for essential practice. This guide provided a full range of updated, evidence-based norms and standards that will enable health care providers to give high quality care during pregnancy, delivery and in the post partum period, considering the needs of the mother and her newborn baby. There were however areas noted which would require local adaptation.

Participants were taken through the following:

* Care of the baby at the time of birth
* Keeping baby warm
* Breastfeeding and the newborn baby (Ensuring a good start)
* Communication skills (Use listening and learning communications skills)
* Examination of the newborn baby
* Resuscitation of the newborn baby
* Routine Care of the newborn baby
* Alternative methods of feeding
* The small baby
* Kangaroo mother care

At the end of the training, the objectives were achieved to a large extent.

* It is expected that newborns presenting at the various hospitals for medical treatment, will receive better care and hence have a better chance of survival
* Participants were trained, to be trainers and strengthen capacity in their respective regions.
* Action plans were outlined by all participants to improve newborn care in their respective hospitals.

The follow up actions to this meeting included two training courses conducted in Techiman and Nkoranza districts from 28 - 31 July 2008. This was to train medical officers, nursing staff of the maternity and neonatal care wards, matrons and other health workers working in six districts in the Region to support referral by community volunteers in Newborn Health Intervention Trial (Newhints trial) as well as a joint Collaborative action between WHO UNICEF and UNFPA would provide materials to support regional and district cascade training. Plans are also far advanced to adapt the PCPNC guide for the country.

For more information please contact:

Dr Mary Nana Ama, Brantuo
NPO- Child and Adolescent Health and Gladys Obuobie, WHO Country Office
Telephone: 00 233 21 763918/9
Fax: 00 233 21 763920

Ms Sophia Twum-Barima
Health Information and Promotion Officer, WHO Country Office
29 Volta Street Airport residential Area
P.O. Box MB 142, Accra, Ghana
Telephone: 00 233 21 774719/ 763918 Fax: 00 233 21 763920
E-mail: twum-barimas [at] gh.afro.who.int