Downstate’s Global Impact Revolutionizes NICU Baby Treatments
By Office of the President | Oct 30, 2023
Lawrence Fordjour, M.D., FAAP, clinical associate professor of Pediatrics and neonatologist, is first-author of
a paper featured in the International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences.
The paper delves into a project at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH) in Ghana, where NICU nurses were trained on bubble continuous positive airway pressure (bCPAP). This simple, cost-efficient, noninvasive respiratory support method is less technically demanding than endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation.
The primary objective of this project was to mitigate neonatal fatalities stemming
from premature births, a predominant cause in Ghana and numerous other African nations.
Ghana, in particular, records a concerning maternal mortality rate of 319 deaths for
every 100,000 live births and an infant mortality rate of 30 deaths for every 1,000
births.
Dr. Fordjour, a Ghana native, has an extensive career as a neonatologist spanning over 15 years. Besides his clinical duties at Downstate, he plays a pivotal role in residency and fellowship educational initiatives and spearheads nutrition, gut immunology, and global health research.
Dr. Fordjour is a board member of Kybele, a global initiative focused on improving childbirth safety in low- to middle-income nations. His work includes missions to countries like Ghana, Serbia, and Uganda, collaborating with medical professionals in regional and academic hospitals, which typically cater to many high-risk patients but are often challenged by inadequate equipment, staffing issues, and supply shortages.
Dr. Fordjour’s expertise in the NICU allows for practical assessment of local equipment, technical needs, and hands-on education. His efforts have enhanced Downstate’s global health profile and supported Kybele in delivering advanced newborn resuscitation training in low- to middle-income nations.
Click here to read the complete study, “The Introduction of Nursing Led Bubble-CPAP in a Neonatal Unit in Ghana: A 32-Month Observational Report.”