Anomalies de fermeture du tube neural en République centrafricaine : mortalité élevée et opportunités manquées pour l’ODD 3
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Neural tube closure defects (NTDs) are a sentinel indicator of maternal and neonatal health inequalities. In the Central African Republic, the lack of comprehensive pediatric studies prevents estimation of the true NTD burden and limits development of effective national prevention strategies. This study aims to address this issue. Materials and methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted over 10 years and 9 months, from January 2015 to September 2025. The study included all newborns and infants hospitalized for NTDs at the Bangui Pediatric University Hospital Complex (CHUPB) whose medical records were usable. Statistical analyses were performed using RStudio software. Results: A total of 116 cases of NTDs were identified, representing a hospitalization rate of 37 per 10,000 admissions. The mean age at admission was nine days (sex ratio 1.15), and 51.7% of patients lived in rural areas. Prenatal care was inadequate in 95.7% of cases, and 14.7% had a family history of NTDs. Among the mothers who took folic acid supplements (n = 86), only 6% started taking them before conception. Spina bifida accounted for 76.7% of cases and encephalocele for 20.7%. Surgical intervention was performed on 67.2% of the children. The case-fatality rate was 33.6%, and 97% of survivors experienced neurological sequelae. Conclusion: NTDs are a significant public health concern at the CHUPB, associated with high mortality and disability rates. These results reveal missed opportunities to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 3 (SDG 3), especially regarding the reduction of neonatal mortality. While early surgical management improves survival, prevention through folic acid supplementation must be integrated into national policies to reduce the burden of NTDs.
Institution: University of Bangui
Language: French
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7221074766