title: The impact of recycled neonatal incubators in Nigeria: a 6-year follow-up study.
abstract: Nigeria has a record of high newborn mortality as an estimated 778 babies die daily, accounting for a ratio of 48 deaths per 1000 live births. The aim of this paper was to show how a deteriorating neonatal delivery system in Nigeria may have, in part, been improved by the application of a novel recycled incubator technique (RIT). Retrospective assessment of clinical, technical, and human factors in 15 Nigerian neonatal centres was carried out to investigate how the application of RIT impacted these factors. Pre-RIT and post-RIT neonatal mortalities were compared by studying case files. Effect on neonatal nursing was studied through questionnaires that were completed by 79 nurses from 9 centres across the country. Technical performance was assessed based on 10-indices scores from clinicians and nurses. The results showed an increase in neonatal survival, nursing enthusiasm, and practice confidence. Appropriately recycled incubators are good substitutes to the less affordable modern incubators in boosting neonatal practice outcome in low-income countries.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Department, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Hippolite Onyejiaka
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Amadi
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Azubuike
authors.forename: Uriah S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Etawo
authors.forename: Uduak R
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Offiong
authors.forename: Chinyere
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ezeaka
authors.forename: Eyinade
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Olateju
authors.forename: Gilbert N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Adimora
authors.forename: Akin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Osibogun
authors.forename: Ngozi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ibeziako
authors.forename: Edna O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Iroha
authors.forename: Abdulhameed I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Dutse
authors.forename: Christian O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Chukwu
authors.forename: Eugene E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Okpere
authors.forename: Mohammed B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Kawuwa
authors.forename: Aliyu U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: El-Nafaty
authors.forename: Sulyman A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kuranga
authors.forename: Olugbenga Ayodeji
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Mokuolu