Essential New-born Care in Rural Setting: The Case of Warrap State in South Sudan

Given the current magnitude of new-born mortality in the developing world, essential new-born care is taking a predominant role in addressing under-five health care delivery interventions. As part of a quasi-experimental design to measure impact of a USAID-funded project, a population-based baseline survey was done in 2013 to evaluate the implementation status of essential new-born care in four payams of Warrap State in South Sudan. Six indicators related to promotion and provision of thermal care, promotion and support of early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding, and promotion and provision of hygienic cord care were measured. A two-stage stratified and weighted random sampling was done. Standard sample calculations were used to determine a sample of 511 respondents. Descriptive results from the population survey showed that the prevalence of new-borns receiving all recommended elements of essential new-born care in the surveyed area was 1 percent. The most common element completed, with nine out of ten respondents, was wrapping the new-born immediately after birth. Among three-quarters of births early initiation of breastfeeding took place, but only half of the respondents reported using a new razor blade to cut the new-born’s cord, and one-third applied an antiseptic solution to the new-born’s cord. Eye ointment or drops were administered within the first hour after delivery in six percent of cases. Survey results confirmed low coverage of systematic application of essential new-born care measures in rural areas of Warrap State in South Sudan. Effective and efficient measures to increase new-born care coverage are needed.