WHO launches new map of human resource strategies to ensure that all newborns survive and thrive

Every year, about 15 million babies are born prematurely – before 37 weeks of pregnancy. That’s more than 1 in 10 live births. Approximately one million children die each year worldwide due to complications from their early birth. Survivors often face a life of ill health, including disability, learning difficulties, and vision and hearing problems.

Half of babies born at or below 32 weeks (two months earlier) die in a low-income environment, due to a lack of viable, cost-effective care, such as warmth, breastfeeding support, and basic care for infections and breathing difficulties. In high-income countries, almost all of these babies survive.

Today, on World Premature Day, the WHO has launched a new one Plan human resource strategies to improve neonatal care in health facilities in low- and middle-income countries, aimed at improving the quality of care for newborns, including young and sick babies, and supporting countries in achieving the SDG’s goal of reducing neonatal mortality to less than 12 per 1,000 live births by 2030.

As the COVID-19 pandemic overloads already weak health systems in many countries, it is expected to increase the number of newborns, especially among premature babies. Disrupted basic health services, such as family planning or antenatal examinations, will leave women at higher risk of preterm birth and vulnerable infants without the services they need.

“We have the power to prevent, diagnose and treat preterm birth and save babies’ lives if we invest in competent and specialized nurses and health professionals to care for them,” said Dr. Anshu Banerjee, WHO Director for the Department of Mothers and Newborns. Health and aging of children and adolescents. “As more and more pregnant women are born in healthcare facilities, we also need to strengthen our healthcare workforce to provide a positive pregnancy experience for each of them.”

The survival and health outcomes of preterm infants can be improved by increasing access to interventions provided to the mother immediately before or during birth, as well as interventions for the newborn baby. However, the greatest burden of premature birth, death and disability is concentrated in low- and middle-income countries, where competent and specialized health workers are in short supply.

Of the 30 million newborns who need inpatient care each year, approximately half do not have access to neonatal care services, and those who do have access often receive care of suboptimal quality. Qualified nurses, including physicians and midwives, are critical to providing high-quality neonatal care and to improving neonatal outcomes, not only at birth and for routine postnatal care, but also in health facilities where mothers and newborns are referred for complications.

The new WHO Roadmap consists of 10 strategies to guide countries in developing their policies to improve the number and competence of health workers to provide high-quality basic care for all newborns and specialized care for small and sick newborns. It also aims to fill the gap in the number of health workers with specialized neonatal skills in low- and middle-income countries needed to provide high-quality inpatient care for small and sick infants.

Over the last three decades, countries that have invested in their nursing and midwifery workforce have achieved a continuous reduction in maternal and infant mortality. With continued investment in universal access to high-quality neonatal care, it is estimated that 1.7 million newborns could be saved each year. Almost half of the effect would come from providing special and intensive hospital care for premature infants, minors, or sick children.