President NNF 2020
NNF Clinical Practice Guidelines that address the felt need of physicians, nurses, and other stakeholders involved in care of newborn infants in India are developed by Team of Neonatologists & Nurses . Today, modern medicine is replete with multitude of treatment options including newer drugs, vaccines, immunotherapy, advances surgical procedures, and non-invasive and invasive respiratory and hemodynamic support device. Given the options available in their armamentarium, healthcare providers are likely to be perplexed and may end up choosing the treatment strategies that they are familiar with rather than those that are proven to be effective and safe. Reputed organizations address the problem by framing evidence-based guidelines that help the healthcare providers and policy makers to make informed decisions on management of different conditions in their field. International organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and national agencies of developed countries like the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), United Kingdom formulate guidelines on a regular basis using a rigorous guideline development process. However, the process is both costly and time consuming, thereby precluding its widespread adoption by professional organizations from low-and middle –income countries including India. These ‘imported’ guidelines from developed nations cannot be adopted as such due to contextual and resource differences.
The National Neonatology Forum (NNF), India is possibly the first professional organization in the country that has dared to undertake this enormous task of developing evidence-based guidelines using the standard and rigorous process of guideline development with the GRADE methodology. These guidelines will help the healthcare providers, program managers, and policymakers involved in the care of newborns thereby improving the survival and overall health of babies born across the country.
Disclaimer: We have taken utmost effort to ensure that no harm occurs from the application of these guidelines .NNF India however does not take any responsibility for harm or damage to patients, staff, care giver or equipment resulting from misinterpretation or misuse of these resource materials.