Table 2 Hospital capacity to perform neonatal blood culture in ward and laboratory settings across Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Nigeria (n = 65 neonatal units)

Laboratory Readiness for Culture

 Total hospitals with a laboratory

10

(100)

37

(100)

11

(100)

7

(100)

65

(100)

 Laboratory service available 24/7

10

(100)

36

(97)

10

(91)

7

(100)

63

(97)

 Laboratory can do Gram staining

10

(100)

33

(89)

9

(82)

6

(86)

58

(89)

 Laboratory can perform cultures on samples of blood^a

9

(90)

18

(49)

10

(91)

7

(100)

44

(69)

  Using Automated Methods

3

(33)

-

2

(20)

4

(57)

9

(21)

  Using Manual Methods

2

(22)

-

5

(50)

1

(14)

8

(18)

  Not Asked

4

(44)

18

(100)

3

(30)

3

(43)

28

(64)

 Laboratory can perform AST on samples of blood^a

7

(70)

3

(10)

8

(73)

5

(71)

23

(4)

Commodities

 Microscope

10

(100)

37

(100)

4

(36)

7

(100)

58

(89)

 Blood culture bottle (paediatric)^b

3

(38)

2

(7)

9

(82)

5

(71)

19

(35)

 Blood culture bottle (adult)^b

3

(38)

1

(3)

8

(73)

5

(71)

17

(31)

 Petri dishes

9

(90)

18

(49)

9

(82)

7

(100)

43

(66)

 Culture media^b

7

(88)

10

(35)

9

(82)

7

(100)

30

(55)

 Sterile picks and loops^b

7

(88)

17

(59)

9

(82)

7

(100)

40

(73)

Protocols

 Protocol for reporting culture results back to neonatal unit^b,c

1

(11)

3

(17)

7

(70)

5

(71)

16

(36)

Neonatal Unit Readiness for Culture

Human Resources

 Nurse:newborn ratio (day of HFA visit)

1:6

1:11

1:11

1:2

1:7

 Nurse:newborn ratio (night before HFA visit)

1:12

1:19

1:15

1:4

1:12

Commodities

 Antiseptics

10

(100)

33

(89)

7

(64)

7

(100)

57

(88)

 Gloves^b

8

(100)

29

(100)

6

(55)

5

(71)

48

(87)

 Gauze

9

(90)

36

(97)

7

(64)

7

(100)

59

(91)

 Sterile needles or butterfly set

9

(90)

20

(54)

6

(55)

2

(29)

59

(91)

 Sterile syringe (any size)

10

(100)

34

(92)

7

(64)

7

(100)

58

(89)

Protocols

 Protocol for early diagnosis and management of neonatal infection^b

8

(100)

18

(62)

7

(64)

7

(100)

40

(73)

 Protocol for receiving results from lab & adding to patient files^b

1

(13)

11

(38)

10

(91)

5

(71)

27

(49)

General Facility Requirements

Electrical Power Access

 Connected to central electricity grid

10

(100)

37

(100)

8

(73)

6

(86)

61

(94)

 Backup power cover for neonatal unit (i.e., generator, solar, battery inverter)

10

(100)

34

(92)

9

(82)

7

(100)

60

(92)

Water Access

 Borehole (electric)

2

(20)

7

(19)

5

(46)

2

(29)

16

(25)

 Piped from municipality

8

(80)

28

(76)

5

(46)

4

(57)

45

(69)

 Other

0

(0)

2

(5)

1

(9)

1

(14)

4

(6)