DOI: 10.36347/gamj.2023.v04i02.001

Pages: 43-46

Introduction: Child and neonatal mortality remains a public health problem. In 2019, according to the WHO, 2.4 million newborns will die and 5.2 million children under the age of five. Complications associated with preterm birth, birth asphyxia/trauma, pneumonia, congenital anomalies, diarrhoea and malaria are the main causes of mortality in children under 5 years of age. The objectives of our study were to determine the mortality rate of children aged 0-15 years hospitalised in the department and to identify the most frequent causes. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective, descriptive study from 1 January to 31 December 2017. It focused on the analysis of records of children aged 0-15 years who died in the paediatric ward. The inclusion criterion was any child aged 0 to 15 years who died in hospital in the paediatric ward during the study period. Results: During our study period, out of 418 hospitalised children, we recorded 19 deaths or 4.5%. According to the age groups, we noted a neonatal excess mortality (0 to 1 month) of 89.47%, an infant mortality of 5.26% and an infant-juvenile mortality of 5.26%. The male sex was the most represented with 52.63%, i.e. a sex ratio of 1.13. In our series, admissions were made directly 89.47%, the socio-economic conditions of the parents were not very favourable in 52.63%. Deaths were more frequent in July (31.57%). The mortality factors were mainly probable neonatal infections 26.31% followed by prematurity 21.05% and prematurity was the most lethal 18.18%. The delay in seeking care was early in 73.68%.