Five-year retention of volunteer community health workers in rural Uganda: a population-based retrospective cohort
Community health workers (CHWs) effectively improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes in low-to-middle-income countries. However, CHW retention remains a challenge. This retrospective registry analysis evaluated medium-term retention of volunteer CHWs in two rural Ugandan districts, trained during a district-wide MNCH initiative. From 2012 to 2014, the Healthy Child Uganda partnership facilitated district-led CHW […]
An Exploration of the Unintended Consequences of Performance-Based Financing in 6 Primary Healthcare Facilities in Burkina Faso
Background: Performance-based financing (PBF) is promoted to improve the quality and quantity of healthcare services in low-income countries. Despite the complexity of the intervention, little attention has been given to studying its unintended consequences. Our objective is to increase evidence on the unintended consequences of PBF in Burkina Faso. Methods: Using the diffusion of innovations […]
Barriers and enablers to emergency obstetric and newborn care services use in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia: a qualitative case study
Background: Globally, 11.4 million untreated obstetric complications did not receive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) services yearly, with the highest burden in low and middle-income countries. Half of the Ethiopian women with obstetric complications did not receive EmONC services. However, essential aspects of the problem have not been assessed in depth. This study, therefore, […]
Trends in antenatal care visits and associated factors in Ghana from 2006 to 2018
Introduction: Given that maternal mortality is a major global health concern, multiple measures including antenatal care visits have been promoted by the global community. However, most pregnant women in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries do not attain the recommended timelines, in addition to a slower progress towards meeting the required minimum of eight visits […]
Global, regional, and national estimates and trends in stillbirths from 2000 to 2019: a systematic assessment
Background: Stillbirths are a major public health issue and a sensitive marker of the quality of care around pregnancy and birth. The UN Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016–30) and the Every Newborn Action Plan (led by UNICEF and WHO) call for an end to preventable stillbirths. A first step to prevent […]
Universal versus conditional three-day follow up visit for children with uncomplicated fever at the community level: Design of a cluster-randomized, community-based, non-inferiority trial in Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of Congo
Background: The current recommendation within integrated Community Case Management guidelines that all children presenting with uncomplicated fever and no danger signs be followed up after three days may not be necessary. Such fevers often resolve rapidly (usually within 48-96 h), and previous studies suggest that expectant home care for uncomplicated fever can be safely recommended. […]
Effect of a quality improvement package for intrapartum and immediate newborn care on fresh stillbirth and neonatal mortality among preterm and low-birthweight babies in Kenya and Uganda: a cluster-randomised facility-based trial
Background: Although gains in newborn survival have been achieved in many low-income and middle-income countries, reductions in stillbirth and neonatal mortality have been slow. Prematurity complications are a major driver of stillbirth and neonatal mortality. We aimed to assess the effect of a quality improvement package for intrapartum and immediate newborn care on stillbirth and […]
Behavior change after 20 months of a radio campaign addressing key lifesaving family behaviors for child survival: Midline results from a cluster randomized trial in rural Burkina Faso
Background: In Burkina Faso, a comprehensive 35-month radio campaign addressed key, multiple family behaviors for improving under-5 child survival and was evaluated using a repeated cross-sectional, cluster randomized design. The primary outcome of the trial was postneonatal under-5 child mortality. This paper reports on behavior change achieved at midline. Method: Fourteen community radio stations in […]
Maternal immunisation with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine for prevention of influenza in infants in Mali: a prospective, active-controlled, observer-blind, randomised phase 4 trial
Background Despite the heightened risk of serious influenza during infancy, vaccination is not recommended in infants younger than 6 months. We aimed to assess the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of maternal immunisation with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine for protection of infants against a first episode of laboratory-confirmed influenza. Methods We did this prospective, active-controlled, observer-blind, […]
Scale up use of family planning services to prevent maternal transmission of HIV among discordant couples: A cross-sectional study within a resource-limited setting
Background: Integration of family planning services (FPS) into human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care for HIV-infected women is an important aspect of the global prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) strategy. We assessed the integration of FPS into routine care of HIV-infected mothers by evaluating the uptake and barriers of contraception and PMTCT services. Methods: We conducted […]
