A recent study published in The Lancet Global Health has revealed that more than a third of newborns diagnosed with sepsis in district hospitals across India could succumb to the life-threatening infection.

The study, conducted across five district hospitals, analyzed data from over 6,600 newborns and found that sepsis incidence ranged from 0.6% to 10% across the facilities. Notably, the risk was higher among newborns referred from other hospitals than those born in the same institution.

Researchers emphasized the urgent need to strengthen infection prevention and control measures, highlighting the importance of responsible antibiotic use to combat sepsis in newborns.

The findings underscore the critical gaps in neonatal healthcare and call for immediate interventions to improve survival rates among infants battling infections in district hospitals.