Overview

The National Guideline for Basic Newborn Care, 2021, is a document developed by the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria to address the high neonatal mortality rate in the country. Each year, over seven million babies are born in Nigeria, with 240,000 dying in their first month of life, including 94,000 on the day of birth. The three main causes of neonatal mortality are prematurity, birth asphyxia, and infections. Despite modest progress in reducing overall child mortality, the neonatal mortality rate has not significantly declined. The guideline aims to provide structured interventions at community and primary levels of care, focusing on the time of birth for greatest impact, as emphasized by the Global Every Newborn Action Plan. According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), only 39% of deliveries occur at health facilities, and 43% are attended by skilled health care providers. The guideline seeks to coordinate interventions to address these gaps. It is the first edition, published in November 2021, and was developed with contributions from the Nigeria Society of Neonatal Medicine (NISONM), Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN), government departments, development partners including UNICEF, and the Child Health Division of the Family Health Department. The foreword by Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Honourable Minister for Health, calls on stakeholders to implement the guideline to reduce neonatal mortality. The acknowledgement by Dr. Salma Ibrahim Anas-Kolo, Director of Family Health Department, recognizes the efforts of Dr. Stella Nwosu and Dr. Ovuoraye John.

Download