Newborn Care in Global Health

1 Credit · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

The focus of this course, newborn health and health care, is unique in that it focuses on a topic, that is seldom covered as a separate entity as it is usually combined with maternal or child health. In the process, it invariably loses visibility. It was the high neonatal mortality in low resource countries that prevented them from achieving the necessary reduction in child mortality outlined in Millennium Development Goal 4. We will highlight the need for increased awareness and focus on newborn care not only among health care providers but also among the global health community and graduates of global health programs, to better equip them for potential future service and careers in maternal and child health. We will explore how the more coordinated global newborn health programs commenced as ‘essential newborn care’ with initial focus at the community level; and how with increase in facility births, it further expanded to address the care of the at-risk, small and sick newborn. We will cover practical aspects of special initiatives such as ‘Baby Friendly Hospitals’, ‘Kangaroo Mother Care’, ‘Helping Babies Breathe’ and ‘Family Centered Care’ that have had remarkable results. Emphasis will be laid on WHO’s strong directive on compassionate quality of care. We will review the impact of an international crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and new innovative methods to improve program implementation.