Performance of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
In 2008 the first and only NICU in Suriname opened its doors. The ability to treat critically ill newborns was an important step towards reducing mortality. At the end of March 2015 the facility moved to a new and modern environment. This transition solidified availability of intensive care in Suriname with reinforcement and training of personnel, new equipment, continuous availability of supplies, and protocol-based care. Since this facility is the only referral hospital for newborns requiring intensive care in Suriname, morbidity and mortality of newborns treated here reflect their outcomes at the national level. Recently, a comparative study between the old and new facility revealed better tertiary function with improved survival of both inborn and outborn newborns. We are currently using the Kobo Toolbox to collect real time data which allows us to ask real time queries at any time. This will allow us to keep monitoring performance and assess sustainability of interventions. This project was originally funded by the Thrasher Research Fund and Tergooi Hospitals, The Netherlands. Data entry is now funded by P.R.E.S.
