Determinants and causes of neonatal mortality in jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia: A multilevel analysis of prospective follow up study
Background: Ethiopia is among the countries with the highest neonatal mortality with the rate of 37 deaths per 1000 live births. In spite of many efforts by the government and other partners, non-significant decline has been achieved in the last 15 years. Thus, identifying the determinants and causes are very crucial for policy and program […]
Who benefits from increased service utilisation? Examining the distributional effects of payment for performance in Tanzania
Background: Payment for performance (P4P) strategies, which provide financial incentives to health workers and/or facilities for reaching pre-defined performance targets, can improve healthcare utilisation and quality. P4P may also reduce inequalities in healthcare use and access by enhancing universal access to care, for example, through reducing the financial barriers to accessing care. However, P4P may […]
Economic consequences of caesarean section delivery: evidence from a household survey in Tanzania
Background: Caesarean section (C-section) delivery is an important indicator of access to life-saving essential obstetric care. Yet, there is limited understanding of the costs of utilising C-section delivery care in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, we estimated the direct and indirect patient cost of accessing C-section in Tanzania. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data of 2012 was used, which […]
Narratives on why pregnant women delay seeking maternal health care during delivery and obstetric complications in rural Ghana
Background: Despite the many maternal healthcare policy programmes in Ghana such as free the antenatal care (ANC) and the fee-exemption policy under the National Health Insurance Scheme, among others, the country has yet to make substantial improvements in addressing low skilled care utilisation in pregnancy and delivery. From previous studies, maternal mortality has been linked […]
Factors associated with non-attendance at scheduled infant follow-up visits in an observational cohort of HIV-exposed infants in South Africa, 2012-2014
BACKGROUND: Since 2001 the South African guidelines to improve child health and prevent vertical HIV transmission recommended frequent infant follow-up with HIV testing at 18 months postpartum. We sought to understand non-attendance at scheduled follow-up study visits up to 18 months, and for the 18-month infant HIV test amongst a nationally representative sample of HIV exposed uninfected […]
Magnitude and Factors Associated with Late Initiation of Antenatal Care Booking on First Visit Among Women in Rural Parts of Ethiopia
Background: Early antenatal care visits enhance early detection and treatment of pregnancy problems, resulting in optimal delivery management. This study aimed to assess the late initiation of antenatal care visits among pregnant women in rural parts of Ethiopia. Methods: A 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey provided the data for this study and a population-based […]
Healthcare without borders: A cross-sectional study of immigrant and nonimmigrant children admitted to a large public sector hospital in the Gauteng Province of South Africa
Background Human migration is a worldwide phenomenon that receives considerable attention from the media and healthcare authorities alike. A significant proportion of children seen at public sector health facilities in South Africa (SA) are immigrants, and gaps have previously been noted in their healthcare provision. The objective of the study was to describe the characteristics […]
Virological response and resistances over 12 months among HIV-infected children less than two years receiving first-line lopinavir/ritonavir-based antiretroviral therapy in Cote D’Ivoire and Burkina Faso: The MONOD ANRS 12206 cohort
Introduction: Lopinavir/ritonavir-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recommended for all HIV-infected children less than three years. However, little is known about its field implementation and effectiveness inWest Africa. We assessed the 12-month response to lopinavir/ritonavir-based antiretroviral therapy in a cohort of West African children treated before the age of two years. Methods: HIV-1-infected, ART-naive except for […]
Cesarean Section Rates and Indications in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multi-Country Study from Medecins sans Frontieres
Objectives: The World Health Organization considers Cesarean section rates of 5-15% to be the optimal range for targeted provision of this life saving intervention. However, access to safe Cesarean section in resource-limited settings is much lower, estimated at 1-2% reported in sub-Saharan Africa. This study reports Cesarean sections rates and indications in Democratic Republic of […]
‘It needs a complete overhaul…’ district manager perspectives on the capacity of the health system to support the delivery of emergency obstetric care in an urban South African district
Background: A high maternal mortality ratio persists in South Africa despite developments in emergency obstetric care (EmOC), a known effective intervention against direct causes of maternal deaths. Strengthening the health systems is one of the focus areas identified by the National Committee for Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths in South Africa. District managers as immediate […]
