This project improves health care workers’ understanding of low-cost routine neonatal care practices which have the potential to reduce neonatal mortality.
The project delivers an educational programme, that is culturally acceptable and locally adaptable, resulting in improved training to increase knowledge skills of health care workers in Northwest Cambodia using low fidelity manikins.
`Effective neonatal life support prevents morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period.
mThe educational programme for newborn health care aligns with the WHO “helping babies breathe” and AHC’s “saving babies’ lives” project.
@Simulation-based teaching allows participants to practice skills in a non-threatening environment.
}The educational programme is low cost, sustainable and capacity building.
This project is the first of its kind and has been delivered as a partnership between the University of Plymouth and Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC) in Cambodia to produce a sustainable training programme embedded in the local health care system.
The Northwest province of Cambodia has an estimated neonatal mortality of 28.9/1000 live births. In the United Kingdom this rate is 3/1000 live births. The majority of newborn deaths occur around the time of delivery. Poor health education to health care workers and rudimentary health practices are important causes.
Local knowledge gained through this programme will be extremely valuable for refining future programmes and taking it to other regions of Cambodia (and potentially neighbouring countries like Laos).
