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Abstrato

Essential care for every baby; first 90 minutes after birth

Sikandar Hayat

Neonatal mortality is a major contributing factor in under five years mortality rate. Prematurity, infections and birth related events are three major causes of neonatal mortality. However, majority of them can be prevented by scaling up a comprehensive set of interventions  along a continuum of care from preconception nutritional care, essential newborn care to care of small and sick newborns. Essential care of every baby is part of Helping Babies Survive program which has been developed to reduce neonatal mortality in resource limited countries. During the first 90 minutes after birth it focuses on skin to skin care, initiation of breast feeding in first hour of life, prevention of diseases by cord care, eye care and administration of vitamin K along with assessment through examination of the baby to determine the further care. These are simple steps which can make difference between life and death.