Financially incentivized knowledge assessments to improve provider compliance with treatment guidelines: a cluster-randomized controlled trial
Background: Despite increasing access to health care, under-5 mortality remains high in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Interventions to improve quality of care have mostly focused on additional training for medical staff, but generally shown little impact. We will assess the impact of financially incentivized quarterly provider knowledge assessment on compliance with Integrated Management of […]
Cost-effectiveness of sunflower oil fortification with vitamin A in Tanzania by scale
In 2011, Tanzania mandated the fortification of edible oil with vitamin A to help address its vitamin A deficiency (VAD) public health problem. By 2015, only 16% of edible oil met the standards for adequate fortification. There is no evidence on the cost-effectiveness of the fortification of edible oil by small- and medium-scale (SMS) producers […]
Improving a mother to child HIV transmission programme through health system redesign: Quality improvement, protocol adjustment and resource addition
Background: Health systems that deliver prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) services in low and middle income countries continue to underperform, resulting in thousands of unnecessary HIV infections of newborns each year. We used a combination of approaches to health systems strengthening to reduce transmission of HIV from mother to infant in a multi-facility […]
Randomized controlled pilot of a group antenatal care model and the sociodemographic factors associated with pregnancy-related empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa
Background: The links between empowerment and a number of health-related outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa have been documented, but empowerment related to pregnancy is under-investigated. Antenatal care (ANC) is the entry point into the healthcare system for most women, so it is important to understand how ANC affects aspects of women’s sense of control over their […]
Evaluation of mainstreaming youth-friendly health in private clinics in Malawi
Background: High fertility rates and low modern contraceptive use put African youth and adolescents at high risk for health complications, including maternal mortality. Mainstreaming youth-friendly health services (YFHS) into existing services is one approach to improve access to reproductive health services for youth and adolescents. The objective of the evaluation was to assess the effects […]
Legislation and Policies for the Right to Maternity Protection in South Africa: A Fragmented State of Affairs
Background: Maternity protection rights incorporate comprehensive benefits that should be available to pregnant or breastfeeding working women. Research Aim: To describe South Africa’s maternity protection legal and policy landscape and compare it to global recommendations. Method: A prospective cross-sectional comparative policy analysis was used to review and describe national policy documents published from 1994–2021. Entitlements […]
Prompt HIV diagnosis and antiretroviral treatment in postpartum women is crucial for prevention of mother to child transmission during breastfeeding: Survey results in a high HIV prevalence community in southern Mozambique after the implementation of Option B+
Objective World Health Organization recommends promoting breastfeeding without restricting its duration among HIV-positive women on lifelong antiretroviral treatment (ART). There is little data on breastfeeding duration and mother to child transmission (MTCT) beyond 24 months. We compared the duration of breastfeeding in HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed children and we identified factors associated with postpartum-MTCT in a […]
Developing strategies to attract, retain and support midwives in rural fragile settings: participatory workshops with health system stakeholders in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo
Background: Midwifery plays a vital role in the quality of care as well as rapid and sustained reductions in maternal and newborn mortality. Like most other sub-Saharan African countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo experiences shortages and inequitable distribution of health workers, particularly in rural areas and fragile settings. The aim of this study was […]
Increasing partner attendance in antenatal care and HIV testing services: Comparable outcomes using written versus verbal invitations in an urban facility-based controlled intervention trial in Mbeya, Tanzania
In many Sub-Saharan African settings male partner involvement in antenatal care (ANC) remains low, although great benefits for maternal and infant health outcomes have been long recognised, in particular regarding the prevention of HIV transmission. Yet there is paucity on evidence regarding the effectiveness of strategies to increase male partner involvement. This controlled intervention trial […]
The Potential Contribution of Supplementary Immunization Activities to Routine Immunization in Kebbi State, Nigeria
Background: Among the strategies of the Polio Eradication Initiative, the landmark interventions are routine immunization (RI) and supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). RI is the provision of vaccination service at the health facility and conducted year-round. SIAs are a community-based intervention targeting large numbers of an eligible population within a short period. Hence, the study aimed […]
