Underreporting and missed opportunities for uptake of intermittent preventative treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp) in Mali

Objectives: To identify factors contributing to low uptake of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) in rural Mali. Methods: We conducted secondary data analysis on Mali’s 2012-2013 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) to determine the proportion of women who failed to take IPTp-SP due to ineligibility or non-attendance at antenatal care […]

Derivation of a contextually-appropriate covid-19 mortality scale for low-resource settings

Background: In many low-and middle-income countries, where vaccinations will be delayed and healthcare systems are underdeveloped, the COVID-19 pandemic will continue for the foreseeable future. Mortality scales can aid frontline providers in low-resource settings (LRS) in identifying those at greatest risk of death so that limited resources can be directed towards those in greatest need […]

Determinants of practice of birth preparedness and complication readiness among pregnant women in Sodo Zuria District, Southern Ethiopia: Content analysis using Poisson’s regression

Objectives: Every pregnancy can face risk. One of the World Health Organization recommendations for health promotion interventions for maternal and newborn health was to increase birth preparedness and complication readiness. The main objective of this recommendation was to increase the use of skilled care at birth and to increase the timely use of facility care […]

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on utilisation of facility-based essential maternal and child health services from March to August 2020 compared with pre-pandemic March-August 2019: a mixed-methods study in North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

Introduction Health systems are often weakened by public health emergencies that make it harder to access health services. We aimed to assess maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) service utilisation during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with prior to the pandemic. Methods We conducted a mixed study design in eight health […]

Help-seeking intention and associated factors towards mental illness among residents of Mertule Mariam town, East Gojam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A mixed-method study

Background: About 76% and 85% of people in low and middle-income countries with severe mental illness did not get management because of fear of expected discrimination. Studying the intention to seek help for mental illness will, therefore, help to know their intended plan for help that would have a vital role to access patients with […]

Management of abortion complications at a rural hospital in Uganda: A quality assessment by a partially completed criterion-based audit

Background: Complications of unsafe abortion are a major contributor to maternal deaths in developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical assessment for life-threatening complications and the following management in women admitted with complications from abortions at a rural hospital in Uganda. Methods: A partially completed criterion-based audit was conducted comparing actual to optimal […]

Disrespect and abuse experienced by women during childbirth in midwife-led obstetric units in Tshwane district, South Africa: A qualitative study

The disrespect and abuse (D&A) of women during childbirth is common and a great concern in midwifery-led obstetric units (MOUs) in South Africa. This paper used the seven chapters of the Respectful Maternity Care Charter as a framework to explore women’s experiences of care during childbirth and examine the occurrence of D&A during childbirth in […]

Strengthening the community health program in Liberia: Lessons learned from a health system approach to inform program design and better prepare for future shocks

Background Arising from the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak, the 2015-2021 Investment Plan aimed to improve the health status of the Liberian population through building a resilient health system that contributes to achieving equitable health outcomes. Recognizing the significance of community participation in overcoming the EVD outbreak, strengthening community systems emerged as one of the […]

The injection or the injection? Restricted contraceptive choices among women living with HIV

Historically, women living with HIV (WLWH) have been vulnerable to biased advice from healthcare workers regarding contraception and childbearing. However, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has made motherhood safer, prompting a re-examination of whether contraceptive services enable the realisation of WLWH’s reproductive intentions. We use longitudinal quantitative data on contraceptive choice and use, and childbearing intentions collected […]

Risk-based serological survey of bluetongue and the first evidence of bluetongue virus serotype 26 circulation in Tunisia

Background: Bluetongue (BT), a vector-borne disease of wild and domestic ruminants, is responsible for severe economic losses in flocks. To reduce this impact, a surveillance and control plan was implemented in Tunisia. However, the epidemiological situation of BT remains incompletely understood, especially for the circulating serotypes. Objective: The aim of this survey was to determine […]