Training Manual for Appropriate Umbilical Cord Care in Newborns
May 29, 2020
Africa Health Supplies donates Firefly Phototherapy, Colibri equipment to the Paediatric Society of Ghana
June 5, 2021
The recommendation states that “daily chlorhexidine 7.1% digluconate aqueous solution or gel (delivering 4% chlorhexidine) application to the umbilical cord stump during the first week of life is recommended for neonates who are born in settings with high neonatal mortality”.
In view of this, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ghana Health Service (GHS) conducted an extensive operations research in Ghana on the use of Chlorhexidine digluconate 7.1% gel for umbilical cord care in newborns to inform the country’s
implementation of the policy. Based on the findings of this study, the MOH and GHS recommend “daily application of Chlorhexidine digluconate 7.1% gel
to the umbilical cord until the cord falls off and the wound is completely healed”. Chlorhexidine digluconate 7.1% has been included in the recently
published Ghana essential medicines list (2017).
Chlorhexidine digluconate 7.1% REPLACES methylated spirit which has been used for umbilical cord care in Ghana for many years.
