Paediatric cerebral palsy in South Africa: Prevention and care gaps at hospital level.

Background: Population-based data show high proportions of severe cases of cerebral palsy (CP) in resource-poor regions such as sub-Saharan Africa, where most children have potentially preventable risk factors (factors that may increase the likelihood of CP occurrence but can be mitigated through medical interventions). Objectives: This study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical profile of children living with CP accessing services at Tygerberg Hospital over a period of 10 years (2010-2020), identify the potential gaps in care (proportion of individuals in a country requiring but not receiving suboptimal or inadequate care), and comparison with a similar study at the same centre two decades ago. Method: This 10-year retrospective study investigated causes and morbidities in children with CP, attending a central hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. Results: A total of 613 children with CP were identified. Perinatal causes were predominant, especially in 57.7% ( Conclusion: Most of the previously documented main drivers of CP are still present and the implementation of healthcare prevention strategies remains inadequate. Contribution: This study provides longitudinal evidence to confirm that CP in a South African setting is associated with a high burden of potentially preventable causes.