Nurses and midwives learn life-saving skills

More than 35 nurses and midwives from India and Southeast Asia have attended a special training workshop aimed at reducing neonatal and infant mortality rates in the region. The fatalities are particularly serious for neonates, the newborns that are less than a month old.

The workshop, organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in collaboration with the Trained Nurses Association of India, took place from 22 to 29 August 2007 in New Delhi, India, attracted health workers at all skill levels from nursing and educational institutions.

Each year, around a third of the world’s 3.9 million neonatal deaths occur in India, where 20 per cent of the world’s infants are born.

Participants received practical training in neonatal advanced life support, paediatric advanced life support, lactation management and feeding of young infants and children. Newer strategies in the prevention of hypothermia, thermo regulation, care at birth, and the assessment of newborn infants were also included in the workshop.

Peggy Vidot, Health Adviser at the Commonwealth Secretariat said the training was designed to provide continued education to nurses and midwives to improve quality care for their communities.

“Despite efforts by many countries to reduce neonatal and infant mortality, there is still a high proportion of infants and children who continue to suffer and die from preventable diseases, pregnancy and childbirth-related complications, as well as malnutrition,” she said.

“Two thirds of infant deaths and about half the deaths of children under five occur in the neonatal period. About 50 per cent of these happen during the first week of life,” she explained.

Mrs Vidot stressed that the training was crucial as nurses and midwives play a central role in the health care delivery system from primary to tertiary level.

She said the need to reduce neonatal and infant mortality rates and improve general health was part of the strategy of most countries working towards the Millennium Development Goals.

Laxmi Thapa, nursing superintendent at the All India Institute of Medical Science based in New Delhi, said: "I have learnt so many new things in this workshop about the care of neonates, infants and young children. I will make sure that my colleagues in my institution learn about these when I get back."

Another participant, Salatha Balachandran, staff nurse based at the Kerala State General Hospital in India, commended the workshop organisers saying that "after 17 years’ experience this is the first time I am attending such a workshop, I have learnt so many new things."

The Health Section of the Secretariat is also working in collaboration with other partners such as the Trained Nurses Association of India.

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