Six years mortality statistics in a Libyan paediatric hospital

During the six year period from 1975 to 1980, at Al-Fatch Paediatric Hospital 35,488 sick children under 12 years of age were admitted for inpatient treatment; 3 009 had a fatal outcome. The mortality rate per 1000 admissions and discharges respectively, was 54.9 and 52.1 in 1975; and 135.6 and 119.4 in 1980. The age specific mortality rate per thousand discharges was 219.4 for infants, 32.8 for 1 to 4 years, 21.7 for 5 to 9 years, 25.7 for 10 to 12 years of age. Although the overall mortality rate was almost equal for boys and girls, it was higher for boys below 1 year or over 10 years, and higher for girls between 1 to 9 years of age. The proportion of deaths and admissions was more during winter the season from September to January and during the summer season from May to July. More than 80% of those who recovered were admitted with acute respiratory infection, gastroenteritis, meningitis, diseases of urinary system, acute poisoning and symptoms or ill-defined conditions; whereas, more than 70% of expired cases were admitted with prematurity, gastroenteritis, septicaemia, acute respiratory diseases and congenital malformations. The case fatality in 1980 was 84.5% for septicaemia, 55.5% for prematurity, 41.7% for congenital malformations, 18.9% for malnutrition and 16.1% for diseases of nervous system.