Examining Strategies in Ministry of Health (MOH) and their Effectiveness in Reducing Neonatal Mortality: A case Study of Levy Mwanawasa Teaching Hospital in Lusaka

Neonatal Mortality is a global problem which has claimed about 2.4 million deaths of babies between the ages of one (1) day to twenty eight (28) days and constitutes 42% of global under-five mortality. Neonatal Mortality is a global problem which has claimed about 2.4 million deaths of babies between the ages of one (1) day to twenty eight (28) days and constitutes 42% of global under-five mortality. The target population was sixty (60) healthcare workers in NICU ward. Results indicated that the level of training for most nurses were 80.02% diploma, and only 3.77% nurses acquired degree certificates and 13.21% doctors had master’s degree. Presentation of results on established adherence control in neonatal programs by the hospital revealed that 52.83% were familiar with all set protocols while 47.17% were very conversant with these controls and applied accordingly. The results on identified challenges in neonatal adherence control did indicate that there were 22.64% had few challenges while 77.36% had no challenges. In conclusion, the research has established the gap that the hospital does not have adequately trained human resource to handle neonates in intensive care unit. There were few protocols that were not in place due to financial constraint by the hospital, for example, the ward had no digital rectal thermometers which are the most accurate at measuring core temperature. Finally, on the challenges in neonatal adherence controls, this research found that at times challenges comes as a result of economic status of the parents.