TITLE:
Profile of Deaths of Children Hospitalized in the Pediatric Surgical Clinic Jean Luc Mandaba of the Pediatric University Hospital Center of Bangui
AUTHORS:
Junior Sylvère Gbelesso, Daniel Sylvère Ouaïmon, Nathan Gbanadé-Packo, Olivier Brice Bogning Mejiozem, Valère Ndoma Ngatchoukpo
KEYWORDS:
Profile, Death, Child, Bangui
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.16 No.4,
June
17,
2026
ABSTRACT: In the Central African Republic, pediatric surgery is a recent specialty, and it is the only department that receives and treats all pediatric surgical conditions regardless of type. To date, no data has been reported on mortality among children hospitalized in this department. Objective: To describe the profile of deaths that occurred among children hospitalized in the Jean Luc Mandaba Pediatric Surgical Clinic at the Bangui Pediatric University Hospital Center (CHUPB). This is a descriptive retrospective study from January 1, 2023, to July 31, 2025 (31 months). Included were all files of children of both sexes, under 16 years of age, who died in the department regardless of the pathology. In total, 3913 children were hospitalized, among whom 233 cases of death were recorded, representing an overall mortality rate of 5.9%. The median age of the patients was 4.14 years. A male predominance was noted (n = 125, 53.6%). Infants had a higher mortality, 31.3%. Traumatological pathologies were the most frequent causes of death in 36% across all age groups. Congenital pathology was the main cause of death in newborns (laparoschisis 35.7%), whereas burns were the main cause of death in infants and young children, respectively 42.5% and 48.3%. The death profile reveals a significant weight of trauma and neonatal surgical malformations. Improving the referral and triage system, strengthening emergency pediatric resuscitation, and creating units or protocols for burn management are targeted interventions that prove necessary.