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Cuttting infant mortality in Nepal - Bloomberg researchers promote handwashing
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Washing hands reduces deaths among newborns - in Nepal.
Researchers with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health cut infant death rates by providing safe birthing kits including bars of soap to mothers and birth attendants over a three year period.
Washing hands “reduces bacteria on hands and the transfer of bacteria to infants,” who are at highest risk of infection within the first few weeks after birth, said Dr. James Tielsch, professor of international health at Johns Hopkins University. He participated in the hand-washing trial published in the July 2008 journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
“This is a highly contaminated environment” where more than 90 percent of births take place at home and washing hands can make a difference, he said. “We were interested in finding inexpensive ways to reduce neonatal death.”
When birth attendants washed their hands before delivery it lowered the risk of death for infants by 19 percent, and when mothers washed their hands before handling their newborn it reduced deaths by 44 percent, their study showed.
Researchers observed 23,662 newborns during the first 28 days of life through a series of 11 home visits, and questioned the mothers about their hand-washing practices and the birth attendant's hand-washing practices.
erika.campos@baltimoreexaminer.com
