Introduction:
The Reproductive Health Center of Fazenda (RHCF) in Cape Verde is exclusively dedicated to maternal and child health. The proximity to the community allows careful and continuous surveillance of the pediatric population in a country with scarce healthcare resources.
Objectives:
Characterize the pediatric population that sought medical assistance at the RHCF during the study period, and determine the main diagnoses and treatments performed.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis of consultations carried out on infants and children was made. Data such as sex, age, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up were obtained through the clinical record and statistically analyzed.
Results:
From a total of 292 consultations, 39 patients were newborns. Gender distribution was similar between both age groups.
In newborns, upper airways infection (UAI) was the most frequent diagnosis. Oral and perineal candidiasis, umbilical granuloma, and changes in hip physical examination accounted for 6% of the diagnoses, respectively.
For infants and children, of the 407 diagnoses made, the umbilical hernia was the most frequent, followed by UAI and skin infections.
Only 5% of newborns and 2.4% of infants and children were referred to hospital emergency, so most were home-oriented or in re-evaluation appointments.
Conclusions:
In Cape Verde, medical evaluation at birth is rarely possible due to the high number of births and the shortage of doctors. Therefore, RHCF plays an important role in primary and preventive health care reflected by the great adherence to consultations and fulfilment of the national vaccination plan. A periodic evaluation allows the early detection of alterations or deviations from normality that consequently lead to a more timely and effective diagnosis and follow-up.
Key words: PALOP, children's health, primary health care, african health
|
