Elizabeth Wolff

44889
Brittany Biesiada
12/1/14
Audio Essay script

Hello my name is Elizabeth Wolff; I am a neonatal doctor from a lower level

hospital in India. I am here to give you a public service announcement on why Indias
neonatal health care needs to be improved. For starters the risk of neonatal death is over
seven times greater in developing countries than in developed countries. Neonatal death
is also higher in Asian countries, particularly India. India reports for more than a quarter
of the global neonatal death rates, and the current neonatal mortality rate in India is 31
per 1,000 live births with infection and prematurity or low birth weight being the main
cause of infant death. India has the maximum number of stillbirths globally, which is
another reason why we need to help them so much.
When you walk into a hospital in America you expect your nurse, doctor, or any
healthcare professional who treats you to be well educated and able to handle any
problems you may have, however in India this is not always the case, neonatal care is
somewhat dependent on the knowledge and skill grade of healthcare providers and how
well they can prevent hypothermia, resuscitate, and prevent infection. The health care
providers may also lack knowledge in knowing the six correct steps of hand washing,
which seems like a very basic thing to know in America, however in India it is not 8as
well known. India needs all of their health care professionals to be properly educated and

trained so they can prevent problems.

Another huge contributor to Indias neonatal death rate is hospitals not being
properly equipped with the necessary supplies to prevent different problems from
happening, is one of Indias biggest problems. It is vital that health systems are equipped
with necessary supplies, such as: a heating source, resuscitation bags and mask, and
mucus devices. Equally important is that the health care providers are competent enough
to use these; otherwise theyre useless. Different facilities in India have no bag and mask
to perform resuscitation and had to use mouth-to-mouth breathing techniques, which are
not as effective.
Indias most essential needs are better equipment, more essential drugs, and
human resources to help make their neonatal survival rates better. For example, in an
article analyzing six of Indias health care facilities found that out of the six analyzed
none of them had cups or spoons to feed the newborns, which is essential for feeding
infants and something you would never think of a health care facility lacking. Indias
biggest cause of neonatal admission at hospitals in India is infection from sepsis,
diarrhea, and pneumonia. Health care facilities that have better tactics for breathing
recovery, infection prevention, care at birth, hypothermia prevention, and breastfeeding,
have better infant survival rates. India needs every health care facility to adopt these good
tactics so the neonatal survival rates can be improved. India also needs better equipment
necessary for neonatal survival and with your help we can help improve these infant
survival rates for the better.

Works Cited
He Is We. Skip to the Good Part. Skip to the Good Part. Universal Republic Records,
2001. MP3.
Malhotra S, Neogi SB, et. al. Assessment of essential newborn care services in
secondary-level facilities from two districts of India. ICDDR,B: Centre for
Health and Population Research. 32.1 (2014): 130-141. Web. 5 Dec. 2014
Mayer, John. Daughters. Heavier Things. Jack Joseph Puig, 2003. MP3.