GPHC records decline in neonatal, maternal deaths in 2024
The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has made significant strides in reducing neonatal mortality and improving maternal and paediatric care outcomes this year.
In 2024, GPHC recorded 955 neonatal admissions and 41 neonatal deaths. When compared to 98 newborn babies who passed in 2023, this number represents a 50 per cent decrease in neonatal mortality.
Prematurity—infants born before completing 37 weeks of gestation—remains the leading cause of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admissions and accounts for 26 of the reported deaths.
During the public hospital’s End of Year press conference on Monday, the NICU Director, Dr Winsome Scott said that sepsis and other infections are also significant contributors to neonatal mortality.
She explained works are ongoing to further reduce newborn deaths in 2025 and beyond.
“Prematurity also contributes significantly to neonatal deaths, the complications of prematurity, that is. As such, during 2024, we have prioritised acquiring life-saving equipment for especially our preterm babies, including building blankets and overhead and ribbon lights that assist us in the management of neonatal jaundice. As well, we’ve acquired even more neo puff devices, which we use for respiratory support.”
“To address the spread of infections among our babies, the hospital has ensured a consistent supply of personal protective equipment for our staff, including having gloves and hand sanitisers at every bedside for every baby. By doing so, we, and also because of the commitment of our nurses and our doctors and our multidisciplinary team, we have achieved a NICU hand hygiene compliance rate of greater than or equal to 96 per cent throughout 2024,” Dr Scott disclosed.
Meanwhile, eight maternal deaths have been recorded at the GPHC. Guyana’s main referral hospital, for the year so far, however, proactive measures have resulted in saving 49 women from near-death situations.
According to statistics provided by GPHC’s Consultant of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr Radha Sookraj, deliveries at GPHC totaled 4,216 in 2024, a decline from 4,857 in 2023.
Vaginal deliveries accounted for 2,821 of these cases, representing a six per cent reduction. Cesarean sections numbered 1,395, with 992 performed as emergency procedures. Total admissions to the maternity unit decreased by eight percent compared to the previous year, with 7,333 recorded in 2024.
Additionally, in the realm of gynecological surgeries, there were 212 procedures this year, a slight reduction from 242 during the same period in 2023. Of these, 118 were emergencies, while 94 were elective surgeries.
“Areas that we have already excelled in is minimally invasive surgery, where patients have chemo surgery. Which they benefit from a reduction in the state of the hospital due to blood loss. And overall, improve patient quality care”.
“Other areas we have achieved in are having a maternal ICU, which is now the second ICU for the hospital. So, you have that collaboration with the ICU team and the seizure team, being close to us in the department, which is high-risk and we need your assistance most of the time”.
“Presently, we have two staff members that are undergoing fellowship in maternal paediatric medicine and one in reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI). So, within the next two years, we have these two super specialised specialists that will be in our unit, which we will significantly expand these services to women again to help them improve in their high-risk conditions, to have healthier babies and a safer pregnancy, and for actually helping them to be healthy in pregnancy in terms of REI,” Dr Radha Sookraj explained.
Paediatric care
The Paediatric Medicine Board admitted 1,319 children aged 29 days to under 13 years in 2024. Pneumonia led as the primary cause of admissions with 370 cases, followed by sickle cell disease and anemia (172 cases), neurological conditions (120 cases), and blood cancers (83 cases).
The Paediatric High Dependency Unit (PHDU), Paediatric ICU, and Adult ICU collectively admitted 194 paediatric patients. Additionally, GPHC’s outpatient paediatric clinics recorded 11,234 visits, with 9,244 at the walk-in clinic and 1,990 at specialised clinics.
Three specialised missions conducted this year facilitated 23 cardiac surgeries, eight diagnostic factorisations, and one interventional factorisation, highlighting advancements in paediatric cardiac care. (G1)