Profile of paediatric emergency cases in Yemen: the need for evidence-based guidelines

A A Ishak1, N H Al-Jayefy, Y A Raja'a

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen.

Insights

Yemen

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Limited data exists on pediatric emergency care in Yemen.
  • Developing evidence-based guidelines is crucial for improving child health outcomes.

Observation:

  • 3454 children under 2 years old presented to emergency services across 7 hospitals and 2 health centers in Yemen.
  • Most common conditions included respiratory (28.6%) and gastrointestinal (25.5%) issues.
  • 36.4% of cases had symptoms for over 4 days.

Findings:

  • Respiratory and gastrointestinal issues were the primary reasons for emergency visits.
  • Antibiotic treatment, particularly third-generation cephalosporins, was common (33.2%).
  • The overall mortality rate was 1.9%, with cardiac and respiratory failure being leading causes.

Implications:

  • Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions for common pediatric emergencies in Yemen.
  • Data can inform the development of national guidelines for pediatric emergency services.
  • Understanding treatment patterns and outcomes is vital for resource allocation and training.

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