Pattern of Morbidity and Mortality in a Children’s Ward – the Awka Experience

Abstract

Pattern of morbidity and mortality in children in a hospital setting is essential because it serves as a guide to what happens in the larger society. By these findings, health facilities could be modified and improved upon for better management of those cases. To document the pattern of morbidity and mortality in children’s ward of Amaku General Hospital Awka (AGHA) Anambra State, the hospital records of children aged above one month to 18 years admitted to the children’s ward of AGHA from 1st January 2007 to 31st December 2008 were retrieved and reviewed. Of the 491 patients admitted during the period, 400 patients met the criteria for the study. The youngest child was 7 weeks old and the oldest 18 years. The commonest causes of admission were severe malaria (21.75%), Gastroenteritis (15.50%), febrile convulsion (14.75%), pneumonia (13.75%) andHIV/AIDS (10%). The commonest causes of death were severe malaria with anemic heart failure (30.61%), Gastroenteritis with severe dehydration (20.41%), pneumonia (16.33%) and HIV/AIDS (12.25%). Among the deaths, infancy period was mostly affected (36.74%). Having seen the pattern of morbidity and mortality in our area to be infection related, we recommend to government and society the improvement in our environmental sanitation, sustained health education, reducing poverty while promoting routine immunization, growth monitoring, Breastfeeding of our children and introduction of new vaccines.

Keywords: Pattern, morbidity, mortality, children’s ward, Awka