Neonatal point-of-care testing

More than 6,000 infant deaths every day in just the first month of life is a severe alarm for healthcare systems on the eve of Healthcare 5.0. By providing timely, reliable, yet affordable and easy-to-use on-site diagnostic tests, and enabling neonatal health monitoring at home even in rural or remote areas, neonatal point-of-care testing (NPOCT) can be vital in reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality rates. In this review, considering the necessity of further development of NPOCTs, a comprehensive overview on the different types of (bio)sensors developed for POC monitoring of neonatal health is presented. Here, alongside reviewing the developed NPOCTs, the relevant neonatal disease is briefly introduced. Furthermore, to determine how far they are from ideal diagnostic devices, the developed NPOCTs are scored according to WHO’s REASSURED criteria by highlighting their met/unmet characterizations. Finally, future prospects and views on the remaining challenges facing the further development of NPOCTs are provided.