There have been reports of an increase in infant jaundice in the nation’s Volta Region.
There has been a rise in the number of newborn instances of jaundice, as evidenced by the 720 cases that were recorded in 2019, 879 cases in 2020, 997 cases in 2021, and 1238 cases in 2022.
Numerous causes are driving the nationwide increase in incidence of newborn jaundice.
The Volta Region has seen an increase in infant jaundice over time, although the death rate has significantly decreased. This is the outcome of moms and healthcare professionals developing conscious understanding about the need to identify instances early for treatment.
Though the death rate is modest, jaundice in newborns affects a surprising number of babies globally each year: about 8 out of 10 preterm babies and 6 out of 10 term babies suffer the illness.
In an interview with Citi News, Dr. Richard Bright Danyo, Head of Paediatrics overseeing Sub BMC at the Ho Teaching Hospital, stated that the increase in cases is a result of a lack of ongoing awareness of the problem.
According to Dr. Danyo, there is a preventable reason for neonatal jaundice, and parents should be watchful for their newborns’ symptoms.
Even though the death rate dropped, he bemoaned the facility’s inadequate equipment for managing these kinds of situations and pleaded with the authorities to intervene on their behalf.
Credit: CitiNewsroom
