Causes of death in children under 5-years: a 10-year retrospective autopsy review at the Korle-Bu teaching hospital mortuary; Accra Ghana. (2002 – 2012)

Accurate data on the causes of death in children under the age of 5-years in Ghana are limited and usually from vital registrations and occasional clinical studies. The aim of this study was to identify and group the underlying causes of death in these children and offer recommendation. Material and methods. This was a retrospective autopsy study from January 2002 to December 2012. Results. Approximately 5.0% of all autopsies performed during the study period were children under the ages of five years. The underlying causes of death were: infections (49.4%), injuries and poisons (20.1%), congenital and developmental abnormalities (17.5%), nutritional (5.3%), neoplasms (2.5%) and haemoglobinopathies (1.8%). Approximately 73.0% of the deaths were preventable. Majority (84.6%) of the deaths occurred in the community and in males (57.2%). Neoplasms related deaths commonly occurred in health facilities. Congenital and developmental abnormities deaths were commoner in neonates. Common infection related deaths were: malaria (37.7%), pneumonia (29.4%) and diarrhoea diseases (21.3%). For injuries and poisons; these were: burns (28.6%); road traffic accidents (26.7%) and drowning (21.5%). Malnutrition was the commonest nutritional cause of death, while lymphomas were the common neoplastic causes of death. Conclusion. Under five deaths were commoner in the community, boys and in the childhood period. Approximately 73.0% of these deaths could have been prevented, by paying attention to the immediate environment of children and use of appropriate medical interventions. We recommend that autopsy data on under five deaths be part of the routine health sector mortality data in Ghana.