Epidemiological and clinical profile of children under five who died at the Tengandogo University Hospital Center from January 1 to December 31, 2021, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Abstract

Infant and child mortality (children under five years of age) remains a public health problem, affecting millions of children each year. According to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Demography, the mortality rate among children under five was estimated at 85 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019 in Burkina Faso. The aim of our study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical profile of children under five who died during their hospitalization at the Tengandogo University Hospital Center. This study was descriptive, covering the period from January 1 to December 31, 2021. Information was extracted from registers and medical records. Averages and proportions were calculated. A total of 202 children died, representing 18.91% (202 deaths out of 1,068 hospitalized). Newborns accounted for 70.16% of deaths. The sex ratio was 1.44 (107 boys to 74 girls). A total of 105 children (58.01%) died within 7 days of birth, 22 (12.15%) between 7 and 28 days, 31 (17.13%) between 29 days and 1 year, and 33 (12.71%) over 1 year. The main diagnoses at the time of death were neonatal infections (60.22%), birth asphyxia (47.51%), and complications related to prematurity (30.29%). Infant and child mortality remains a challenge to be addressed both in hospital care and in measures to prevent infections, especially neonatal infections.