Gaza health
The estimated infant mortality rate per the validation study by WHO in 2016 is 21.3 per 1,000 live births and neonatal mortality is 14 per 1000 live births in Gaza with over 74% of these deaths occurring in the neonatal period. Over 54% of these deaths occurring in the first week of infant’s life result from premature births, infection, and congenital anomalies etc.
There is a critical gap in neonatal services in Gaza which requires collaborative efforts from different organizations. This project is to provide neonatal units in the Gaza Strip and improve neonatal care management in order to reduce mortality, morbidity and long-term disability among new-born infants. It also improves the skills and competencies of staff at the neonatal units on neonatal life support, neonatal safe transfer, infection control and prevention of retinopathy of prematurity (RoP).
Over 200 neonatal staff at the units benefit from training on: neonatal life support, neonatal safe transfer, infection control measures and procedures and prevention of retinopathy of prematurity via educational sessions and workshops, 6 Neonatal units in Gaza are supplied with lifesaving items, necessary equipment and infection control materials and Safe neonatal retrieval system in place to improve the referral pathway for critical new born is operating.
