About NRP Course Description FAQs Steering Committee Workgroups Founding Members History & Basic Concepts Provider Resources Online Evaluation Overview Locate Course or Instructor Renewal Notification Replace Provider Card AAP Online Bookstore Upcoming Seminars Continuing Ed Credits Instructor Resources Database Directions (PDF) Order Form (PDF) Broadcast Email Registration Upcoming Seminars Instructor Only Forum Miscellaneous Resources Apgar Score Changes Instructor Manual E-Sources Material Updates/Corrections ILCOR New Guidelines 2005 Guidelines for Neonatal Resuscitation History & Basic Concepts Appendix Course Forms Course Materials & Essentials AAP Online Bookstore Description of Materials Material Updates/Corrections DVD-ROM Samples Science Research Grant/Award Programs Evidence-Based Guidelines 2005 Guidelines for Neonatal Resuscitation Patient Simulator (PDF) ILCOR COSTR ILCOR Evidence Eval. Worksheets International NRP Abroad Where NRP Has Been Taught From The Field AAP International Initiatives Translations Instructor Update Intl Articles Instructor Update Newsletter Mortality & Morbidity Simulation

International

People’s Republic of China

China has approximately 17 million births per year and the average infant mortality rate is documented as 29.2 per 1000 live births (Chinese Maternity and Child Monitor Data, 2002). A great disparity has been unofficially reported between the IMR in urban areas, where the IMR is as low as 7, and in rural areas, where it is in the high 60’s. Current statistics indicate that 20.5% of total infant deaths per year are caused by perinatal asphyxia (Chinese Maternity and Child Monitor Data, 2001). Employing resuscitation and the initial steps as outlined in the NRP can impact these statistics.

Since the early 1990’s, the NRP has been taught sporadically in several provinces of China. Isolated training efforts conducted by groups and individuals have had little impact on influencing a national training effort, largely due to the size of the country. Even larger, provincial-wide efforts such as that conducted by Heart to Heart International, with the support of the AAP International Section, had failed to disseminate due to a much-needed commitment from the national Ministry of Health (MOH) and the collaboration of Chinese professional organizations.

In 2002, the AAP sought funding to embark upon an initiative to reduce the infant mortality and morbidity rates in China through NRP education. Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute (JJPI), already having an established relationship with the MOH, agreed to partner in this initiative. Collaborating partners were brought together to form the China NRP Task Force:

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• China Ministry of Health
• National Center for Women and Children's Health (China CDC)
• Chinese Society of Perinatal Medicine
• Chinese Nursing Association
• Chinese Preventative Medicine Association
• Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute

Through this collaboration, initial NRP Instructor training courses were conducted in July 2004. US faculty traveled to Beijing to train 20 national level NRP instructors. In the following days, with the support of the US faculty, the 20 new instructors trained 90 provincial level instructors representing 20 targeted provinces. The MOH has taken strong steps to ensure successful program dissemination. They increased the scope of practice for nurses in order to realize their goal to have one person at every hospital delivery trained. They also mandated that each targeted province conduct a minimum of 2 courses within the first year. Results to date—in just 5 months, 25 more courses were conducted, resulting in 1,247 additional professionals trained. The ownership demonstrated by Chinese professionals and the ministry is definitely having a positive impact on dissemination of neonatal resuscitation training in China.

The Chinese partners have named their neonatal resuscitation program Freedom of Breath, Fountain of Life. As noted by Dr Yang Qing, Director of Maternal and Child Health, Community Health at the MOH, “China is a developing country with a big population and there are 0.1 billion children. Their health will have a significant influence on the prosperity and the future of China.” 2006 begins the third year of this 5-year initiative.

This initiative is made possible by an unrestricted educational grant from Johnson and Johnson Pediatric Institute.