Effect on neonatal mortality of newborn infection management at health posts when referral is not possible: A cluster-randomized trial in rural Ethiopia

The World Health Organization recently provided guidelines for outpatient treatment of possible severe bacterial infections (PSBI) in young infants, when referral to hospital is not feasible. This study evaluated newborn infection treatment at the most peripheral level of the health system in rural Ethiopia. When referral to higher levels of care is not possible, health extension workers can deliver outpatient antibiotic treatment of newborns with PSBI, but estimated treatment coverage in a rural Ethiopian setting was only around 50%. While our data suggest a mortality reduction consistent with that which might be expected at this level of coverage, they do not provide conclusive results.

Authors: Tedbabe Degefie Hailegebriel; Brian Mulligan; Simon Cousens;Bereket Mathewos; Steve Wall; Abeba Bekele; Jeanne Russell; Deborah Sitrin; Biruk Tensou; Jay Lawn; Joseph de Graft Johnson; Hailemariam Legesse; Sirak Hailu; Assaye Nigussie; Bogale Worku; Abdullah Baqui.