scholarly journals Research priorities in maternal and neonatal health in Africa: results using the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method involving over 900 experts across the continent

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Moses Alobo ◽  
Charles Mgone ◽  
Joy Lawn ◽  
Colette Adhiambo ◽  
Kerri Wazny ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Priorities ◽  
Newborn Health ◽  
Maternal And Newborn Health ◽  
Neonatal Health ◽  
Research Prioritization ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Nutrition Research ◽  
Research Initiative ◽  
Maternal And Neonatal Health ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

Background: Africa will miss the maternal and neonatal health (MNH) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets if the current trajectory is followed. The African Academy of Sciences has formed an expert maternal and newborn health group to discuss actions to improve MNH SDG targets. The team, among other recommendations, chose to implement an MNH research prioritization exercise for Africa covering four grand challenge areas. Methods: The team used the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) research prioritization method to identify research priorities in maternal and newborn health in Africa. From 609 research options, a ranking of the top 46 research questions was achieved. Research priority scores and agreement statistics were calculated, with sub-analysis possible for the regions of East Africa, West Africa and those living out of the continent.  Results: The top research priorities generally fell into (i) improving identification of high-risk mothers and newborns, or diagnosis of high-risk conditions in mothers and newborns to improve health outcomes; (ii) improving access to treatment through improving incentives to attract and retain skilled health workers in remote, rural areas, improving emergency transport, and assessing health systems' readiness; and (iii) improving uptake of proven existing interventions such as Kangaroo Mother Care. Conclusions: The research priorities emphasized building interventions that improved access to quality healthcare in the lowest possible units of the provision of MNH interventions. The lists prioritized participation of communities in delivering MNH interventions. The current burden of disease from MNCH in Africa aligns well with the list of priorities listed from this exercise but provides extra insights into current needs by African practitioners. The MNCH Africa expert group believes that the recommendations from this work should be implemented by multisectoral teams as soon as possible to provide adequate lead time for results of the succeeding programmes to be seen before 2030.

scholarly journals Quality of Maternal and Newborn Health Care in Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abera Biadgo ◽  
Aynalem Legesse ◽  
Abiy Seifu ◽  
Kavita Singh ◽  
Zewdie Mulissa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Newborn Health ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Maternal And Newborn Health ◽  
Neonatal Health ◽  
Input Process ◽  
Maternal And Neonatal Health ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

Abstract Background: Despite reports of universal access to and modest utilization of maternal and newborn health services in Ethiopia, mothers and newborns continue to die from preventable causes. Studies indicate this could be due to poor quality of care provided in health systems. Evidences show that high quality health care prevents more than half of all maternal deaths. In Ethiopia, there is limited knowledge surrounding the status of the quality of maternal and newborn health care in health facilities. This study aims to assess the quality of maternal and neonatal health care provision at the health facility level in four regions in Ethiopia.Methodology: This study employed a facility-based cross-sectional study design. It included 32 health facilities which were part of the facilities for prototyping maternal and neonatal health quality improvement interventions. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, key informant interviews and record reviews. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and exported to STATA for analysis. Descriptive analysis results are presented in texts, tables and graphs. Quality of maternal and neonatal health care was measured by input, process and outputs components. The components were developed by computing scores using standards used to measure the three components of the quality of maternal and neonatal health care.Result: The study was done in a total of 32 health facilities: 5 hospitals and 27 health centers in four regions. The study revealed that the average value of the quality of the maternal and neonatal health care input component among health facilities was 62%, while the quality of the process component was 43%. The quality of the maternal and neonatal health output component was 48%. According to the standard cut-off point for MNH quality of care, only 5 (15.6%), 3 (9.3%) and 3 (10.7%) of health facilities met the expected input, process and output maternal and neonatal health care quality standards, respectively.Conclusion: This study revealed that the majority of health facilities did not meet the national MNH quality of care standards. Focus should be directed towards improving the input, process and output standards of the maternal and neonatal health care quality, with the strongest focus on process improvement.

scholarly journals Quality of maternal and newborn health care in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abera Biadgo ◽  
Aynalem Legesse ◽  
Abiy Seifu Estifanos ◽  
Kavita Singh ◽  
Zewdie Mulissa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Newborn Health ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Maternal And Newborn Health ◽  
Neonatal Health ◽  
Input Process ◽  
Maternal And Neonatal Health ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

Abstract Background Despite reports of universal access to and modest utilization of maternal and newborn health services in Ethiopia, mothers and newborns continue to die from preventable causes. Studies indicate this could be due to poor quality of care provided in health systems. Evidences show that high quality health care prevents more than half of all maternal deaths. In Ethiopia, there is limited knowledge surrounding the status of the quality of maternal and newborn health care in health facilities. This study aims to assess the quality of maternal and neonatal health care provision at the health facility level in four regions in Ethiopia. Methodology This study employed a facility-based cross-sectional study design. It included 32 health facilities which were part of the facilities for prototyping maternal and neonatal health quality improvement interventions. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, key informant interviews and record reviews. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and exported to STATA for analysis. Descriptive analysis results are presented in texts, tables and graphs. Quality of maternal and neonatal health care was measured by input, process and outputs components. The components were developed by computing scores using standards used to measure the three components of the quality of maternal and neonatal health care. Result The study was done in a total of 32 health facilities: 5 hospitals and 27 health centers in four regions. The study revealed that the average value of the quality of the maternal and neonatal health care input component among health facilities was 62%, while the quality of the process component was 43%. The quality of the maternal and neonatal health output component was 48%. According to the standard cut-off point for MNH quality of care, only 5 (15.6%), 3 (9.3%) and 3 (10.7%) of health facilities met the expected input, process and output maternal and neonatal health care quality standards, respectively. Conclusion This study revealed that the majority of health facilities did not meet the national MNH quality of care standards. Focus should be directed towards improving the input, process and output standards of the maternal and neonatal health care quality, with the strongest focus on process improvement.

scholarly journals Perceived barriers to maternal and newborn health services delivery: a qualitative study of health workers and community members in low and middle-income settings

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. e021223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Sumankuuro ◽  
Judith Crockett ◽  
Shaoyu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Newborn Health ◽  
Essential Medicines ◽  
Maternal And Newborn Health ◽  
Neonatal Health ◽  
Community Members ◽  
West Region ◽  
Maternal And Neonatal Health ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

ObjectivesIn considering explanations for poor maternal and newborn health outcomes, many investigations have focused on the decision-making patterns and actions of expectant mothers and families, as opposed to exploring the ‘supply side’ (health service provider) barriers. Thus, we examined the health system factors impacting on access to and delivery of quality maternal and newborn healthcare in rural settings.DesignA semistructured qualitative study using face-to-face in-depth interviews with health professionals, and focus group sessions with community members, in eight project sites in two districts of Upper West Region, Ghana, was employed. Participants were purposively selected to generate relevant data to help address the study objective. The survey was guided by WHO standard procedures and Ghana Health Ministry’s operational work plan for maternal and newborn care.SettingNadowli–Kaleo and Daffiama–Bussie–Issa districts in Upper West Region, Ghana.ParticipantsTwo hundred and fifty-three participants were engaged in the study through convenient and purposive sampling: healthcare professionals (pharmacist, medical doctor, two district directors of health services, midwives, community health and enrolled nurses) (n=13) and community members comprising opinion leaders, youth leaders and adult non-pregnant women (n=240 in 24 units of focus groups).ResultsResults show significant barriers affecting the quality and appropriateness of maternal and neonatal health services in the rural communities and the Nadowli District Hospital. The obstacles were inadequate medical equipment and essential medicines, infrastructural challenges, shortage of skilled staff, high informal costs of essential medicines and general limited capacities to provide care.ConclusionImplementation of the birth preparedness and complication readiness strategy is in its infancy at the health facility level in the study areas. Increasing the resources at the health provider level is essential to achieving international targets for maternal and neonatal health outcomes and for bridging inequities in access to essential maternal and newborn healthcare.

scholarly journals Maternal and newborn health risks of climate change: A call for awareness and global action

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Roos ◽  
Sari Kovats ◽  
Shakoor Hajat ◽  
Veronique Filippi ◽  
Matthew Chersich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Newborn Health ◽  
Maternal And Newborn Health ◽  
Global Action ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

scholarly journals Intersectional (in) equities in contact coverage of maternal and newborn health services in Nepal: insights from a nationwide cross-sectional household survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Resham B. Khatri ◽  
Yibeltal Alemu ◽  
Melinda M. Protani ◽  
Rajendra Karkee ◽  
Jo Durham
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Delivery ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Newborn Health ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Universal Coverage ◽  
Maternal And Newborn Health ◽  
Multiple Forms ◽  
Wealth Status ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Maternal And Newborn

Abstract Background Persistent inequities in coverage of maternal and newborn health (MNH) services continue to pose a major challenge to the health-care system in Nepal. This paper uses a novel composite indicator of intersectional (dis) advantages to examine how different (in) equity markers intersect to create (in) equities in contact coverage of MNH services across the continuum of care (CoC) in Nepal. Methods A secondary analysis was conducted among 1978 women aged 15–49 years who had a live birth in the two years preceding the survey. Data were derived from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2016. The three outcome variables included were 1) at least four antenatal care (4ANC) visits, 2) institutional delivery, and 3) postnatal care (PNC) consult for newborns and mothers within 48 h of childbirth. Independent variables were wealth status, education, ethnicity, languages, residence, and marginalisation status. Intersectional (dis) advantages were created using three socioeconomic variables (wealth status, level of education and ethnicity of women). Binomial logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the patterns of (in) equities in contact coverage of MNH services across the CoC. Results The contact coverage of 4ANC visits, institutional delivery, and PNC visit was 72, 64, and 51% respectively. Relative to women with triple disadvantage, the odds of contact coverage of 4ANC visits was more than five-fold higher (Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 5.51; 95% CI: 2.85, 10.64) among women with triple forms of advantages (literate and advantaged ethnicity and higher wealth status). Women with triple advantages were seven-fold more likely to give birth in a health institution (aOR = 7.32; 95% CI: 3.66, 14.63). They were also four times more likely (aOR = 4.18; 95% CI: 2.40, 7.28) to receive PNC visit compared to their triple disadvantaged counterparts. Conclusions The contact coverage of routine MNH visits was low among women with social disadvantages and lowest among women with multiple forms of socioeconomic disadvantages. Tracking health service coverage among women with multiple forms of (dis) advantage can provide crucial information for designing contextual and targeted approaches to actions towards universal coverage of MNH services and improving health equity.

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