GPHC records lowest number of neonatal deaths this year

The year 2023 recorded the lowest number of neonatal deaths in history at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

This was disclosed by Coordinator of Neonatal Services at the GPHC, Dr Sara Singh, during the hospital’s year-end press conference on Thursday.

Dr Singh stated that the Neonatal Unit sees babies up to 28 days old and sees between 70-100 babies every day, of which 55 to 60 receive some form of treatment.

“In 2023, there were 785 admissions to the NICU and the ‘step-down’ area, in total 637 of these patients were delivered at GPHC and the remaining 148 either came through the ER (Accident and Emergency) or from one of the other hospitals or health centres for a step up in care at our facility,” she stated.

This year the NICU recorded the lowest number of deaths in a calendar year.

“Of the total number of patients delivered at GPHC and the patients seen at the emergency room, we have unfortunately lost 98 neonates, to today in total, this is the lowest number of deaths in one calendar year ever recorded in this hospital’s history,” Dr Singh stated.

The 98 recorded neonatal deaths recorded this year is significant as the average number annually is 150.

Also, during the month of November, the GPHC recorded its lowest number of neonatal deaths in the NICU in one month, recording only one death.

She noted that the majority of the patients admitted were diagnosed with presumed sepsis and prematurity, and a large percentage of patients admitted, required respiratory support. Additionally, facilities were upgraded at the West Demerara, Linden, Suddie and New Amsterdam hospitals and outfitted with ventilators to deliver optimum care to neonates.