CAUSES OF NEONATAL ILLNESS ADMITTED IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS ( ICUS) OF TWO HOSPITALS IN KABUL, AFGHANISTAN.

Background: Newborn health and survival depend on the care provided to the newborn. Newborn care is essential element in reducing child mortality, it often receives less or poor attention. According to the Afghanistan Demographic Health Survey 2015 (DHS) the less than one year mortality rate is 45 per 1000 live birth while significant percentage of this morality is happening during the neonatal period. Poor knowledge of mothers low level of education, unskilled birth attendants, unhygienic delivery practices, malnourished mothers, late breast feeding, no breast feeding, newborn immediate bathing, poor access to required health services, very late arrival to health facilities, poor quality of services at the health facilities and poor commitment of Governments are the main contributing factors in newborn death. Objectives: To identify the most common causes and basic factors of newborn illness admitted to Intensive Care Units. To describe the strengths and limitations of neonatal health care in two pediatric hospitals in Afghanistan Method: A cross-sectional study is conducted in two Hospitals in Kabul. The sample size was 400 child care takers. Findings: The finding from this survey indicates that Neonatal Jaundice makes 17% of total admission, Sepsis( 19%), birth asphyxia(10%), Congenital Heart Diseases ( 6%), Meconium Aspiration( 2%), Premature( 8%), Low birth weight (12%), Bleeding disorder( 2%), Congenital anomalies( 2%), Very Sever Pneumonia (19%) and due to winter season Diarrhea was ( 2%). Conclusion: Mother education level makes great difference in child care, community awareness for early seeking health care and timely decision making is important, availability of skilled birth attendance during delivery and delivery at suitable health facilities, provision of early and properly health/medical care are very essential in neonatal mortality reduction. Improve referral linkages, strong governance/policy dimensions, strong health system supports in the process of neonatal health care/neonatal survivals are very much needed.