scholarly journals TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19: A SCOPING REVIEW

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Gadanya MA ◽  
◽  
Adamu KA ◽  
Ibrahim UM

Background: In developing countries, the lack of accessible, affordable and acceptable orthodox care makes a significant proportion of the populace patronize the nearby available and cheap traditional birth attendants (TBAs) that share similar local custom and tradition. Although there are widely diverging shreds of evidence regarding their effectiveness as health care providers, they may have a limited role as a workforce during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic where the more community-based distribution of commodities is increasingly considered due to movement restrictions. However, it is still doubtful if their integration into the formal health system may substantially contribute to basic health care delivery especially in the rural often hard to reach areas. Objectives: To explore the various roles of TBAs in reproductive health service delivery with implication for redefining their roles especially with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology: We searched and reviewed relevant literature on TBAs in PubMed, Africa Journals Online (AJOL) and Google scholar and relevant institutional websites for the role of TBAs pre and during the pandemic. The databases searched yielded 92 articles of potential significance to this review. After title/abstract review, 65 articles were moved to full document review. Nineteen articles explicitly and strictly focusing on TBAs concerning reproductive health were included in this review. Results: TBAs are providers of a wide range of reproductive health services and training to expand their roles and makes them safer is necessary for any consideration of their engagement; this implies the fight against COVID-19. TBAs should only be engaged if the gap in the resources for health must be filled by leveraging on their existing traditional roles and acceptance in the community. Conclusion: TBAs are widely utilised providers of care to their communities especially in the area of maternal care. With increasing emphasis on community-based services in healthcare delivery and the emergence of COVID-19, their roles must be reviewed and updated regularly to redefine their role in the health care delivery system especially because of the myriad personal and technical limitations associated with them. Any engagement with them should be with caution and as a stop-gap measur.

Author(s):  
Fatemeh Rahmanian ◽  
Soheila Nazarpour ◽  
Masoumeh Simbar ◽  
Ali Ramezankhani ◽  
Farid Zayeri

AbstractBackgroundA dimension of reproductive health services that should be gender sensitive is reproductive health services for adolescents.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess needs for gender sensitive reproductive health care services for adolescents.MethodsThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study on 341 of health care providers for adolescents in health centers and hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Iran in 2016. The subjects of the study were recruited using a convenience sampling method. The tools for data collection were: (1) a demographic information questionnaire and; (2) a valid and reliable questionnaire to Assess the Needs of Gender-Sensitive Adolescents Reproductive Health Care Services (ANQ-GSARHS) including three sections; process, structure and policy making for the services. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.ResultsThree hundred and forty-one health providers with an average working experience of 8.77 ± 5.39 [mean ± standard deviation (SD)] years participated in the study. The results demonstrated the highest scores for educational needs (92.96% ± 11.49%), supportive policies (92.71% ± 11.70%) and then care needs (92.37% ± 14.34%) of the services.ConclusionsProviding gender sensitive reproductive health care services for adolescents needs to be reformed as regards processes, structure and policies of the services. However, the gender appropriate educational and care needs as well as supportive policies are the priorities for reform of the services.


Author(s):  
Hesam Seyedin ◽  
Morteza Rostamian ◽  
Fahimeh Barghi Shirazi ◽  
Haleh Adibi Larijani

Abstract Providing health care in times of complex emergencies (CEs) is one of the most vital needs of people. CEs are situations in which a large part of the population is affected by social unrest, wars, and food shortages. This systematic review study was conducted to identify the challenges of health-care delivery in CEs. We searched terms related to health-care delivery and CEs in PubMed, Web of Sciences, Science Direct, and Google scholar databases, as well as Persian databases SID and Magiran. The searching keywords included: “Health Care, Complex Crises, War, Humanitarian, Refugees, Displaced Persons, Health Services, and Challenges.” Of 409 records, we selected 6 articles based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) checklist. Studies were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. The results show that CEs affect health-care delivery in 4 primary areas: the workforce, infrastructure, information access, and organization of health services. These areas can pose potential threats for health-care providers and planners at times of emergencies. Thus, they should be informed about these challenges to strengthen the health-care system.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Mutemwa ◽  
Susannah Mayhew ◽  
Manuela Colombini ◽  
Joanna Busza ◽  
Jackline Kivunaga ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle O'Malley ◽  
Kristin M. Beima-Sofie ◽  
Stephanie D. Roche ◽  
Elzette Rousseau ◽  
Danielle Travill ◽  
...  

Background: Successful integration of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with existing reproductive health services will require iterative learning and adaptation. The interaction between the problem-solving required to implement new interventions and health worker motivation has been well-described in the public health literature. This study describes structural and motivational challenges faced by health care providers delivering PrEP to adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) alongside other SRH services, and the strategies used to overcome them.Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with HCWs from two demonstration projects delivering PrEP to AGYW alongside other SRH services. The Prevention Options for the Women Evaluation Research (POWER) is an open label PrEP study with a focus on learning about PrEP delivery in Kenyan and South African family planning, youth mobile services, and public clinics at six facilities. PrIYA focused on PrEP delivery to AGYW via maternal and child health (MCH) and family planning (FP) clinics in Kenya across 37 facilities. IDIs and FGDs were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a combination of inductive and deductive methods.Results: We conducted IDIs with 36 participants and 8 FGDs with 50 participants. HCW described a dynamic process of operationalizing PrEP delivery to better respond to patient needs, including modifying patient flow, pill packaging, and counseling. HCWs believed the biggest challenge to sustained integration and scaling of PrEP for AGYW would be lack of health care worker motivation, primarily due to a misalignment of personal and professional values and expectations. HCWs frequently described concerns of PrEP provision being seen as condoning or promoting unprotected sex among young unmarried, sexually active women. Persuasive techniques used to overcome these reservations included emphasizing the social realities of HIV risk, health care worker professional identities, and vocational commitments to keeping young women healthy.Conclusion: Sustained scale-up of PrEP will require HCWs to value and prioritize its incorporation into daily practice. As with the provision of other SRH services, HCWs may have moral reservations about providing PrEP to AGYW. Strategies that strengthen alignment of HCW personal values with professional goals will be important for strengthening motivation to overcome delivery challenges.


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