Causes and circumstances of death in a district hospital in northern Cameroon, 1993-2009.

INTRODUCTION: In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) sound planning is required as interest increases in the decentralization of healthcare financing and the implementation of a sector-wide approach to health care. For this, improved knowledge of national morbidity and mortality is essential. Data from remote areas of SSA are needed to ensure that public health priority-setting and actions reflect the situation in all regions, not just those easily accessed and readily researched. In order to understand the causes, circumstances and changes over time of death in a remote and underserved region, this study sought information on all deaths in a district hospital over a 17 year period.

METHODS: The study design was a retrospective review of the hospital records (in registers) of all patients hospitalized in Kolofata District Hospital, a rural public hospital in the Far North Region of Cameroon, 1 January 1993 to 31 December 2009. A line listing was extracted of all 1281 inpatient deaths, and this included dates of admission and death; patient name, address, sex and ethnic group; presenting complaint; duration of symptoms; summary of physical examination; and the diagnosis presumed to be the cause of death.

RESULTS: Children under the age of 15 years and males comprised the majority of deaths (63.9% and 56.0%, respectively). Causes of death were related to the seasons. Infectious diseases including acute lower respiratory tract infection, malaria and diarrhoeal diseases were the leading causes of death; AIDS caused most adult deaths. A total of 67% of patients presented within 1 week of symptom onset, and 56.8% of deaths occurred on or before the day after admission. Deaths due to AIDS, malaria and complications of pregnancy increased over time. Among Kolofata District residents, death from vaccine-preventable measles and neonatal tetanus were rare, particularly in the later study years. The proportion of deaths attributed to non-communicable diseases did not increase in the 17 year period.

CONCLUSIONS: To reduce mortality in this world region, priority should be given to the prevention and management of lower respiratory tract infections, malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, AIDS, and the complications of pregnancy. The planning of health resources and activities should take into account seasonal variations in the causes of death. Improvements to emergency services and community education that emphasises the need for earlier presentation when ill should reduce deaths that occur soon after hospital admission. Death due to measles and neonatal tetanus has become rare, a reflection of the effectiveness in this area of the national vaccination program.