Trend in Childhood Mortality in a Private Pediatric Hospital of Kisangani: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Aims: To determine patterns of childhood mortality and its trends over a 4 years’ period in a private pediatric hospital.  Study Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Study conducted in the Nouveau Village de Pédiatrie (NVDP), in Kisangani town, Democratic Republic of Congo, between June 2014 and June 2018. Methodology: Socio-demographic, clinical and biological data of children of 0-16 years were retrospectively recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse patterns of childhood mortality and its trends during the four years’ period. Results: From June 2014 to June 2018, 3789 children of 0 to 16 years were hospitalised in the Nouveau Village de Pédiatrie. The global mortality was 16.1% in 2014 and 2.4% in 2018. Mortality within 24 hours of admission was 58%. Neonatal mortality decreased from 22.4% in 2014 to 7.4% in 2018. The leading diagnosis was neonatal causes: sepsis, prematurity, neonatal asphyxia, severe, congenital abnormalities. Most of older children died from severe pneumonia, meningitis, severe anaemia and severe malaria. Severe pneumonia was the most frequent and common cause of children death in all ages. Conclusion: Microbiological data, point of care exams, high quality antimicrobials and antibiotic stewardship in antimicrobial prescribing had a great impact in the significant reduction of childhood mortality in the Nouveau Village de Pédiatrie. Efforts must be focused on the reduction of neonatal mortality.