Mentors’ perspectives on strengths and weaknesses of a novel clinical mentorship programme in Rwanda: A qualitative study
Objectives To identify mentors’ perspectives on strengths and weaknesses of the Training, Support and Access Model for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (TSAM-MNCH) clinical mentorship programme in Rwandan district hospitals. Understanding the perspectives of mentors involved in this programme can aid in the improvement of its implementation. Design The study used a qualitative approach with […]
How equitable is social franchising? Case studies of three maternal healthcare franchises in Uganda and India
Substantial investments have been made in clinical social franchising to improve quality of care of private facilities in low- and middle-income countries but concerns have emerged that the benefits fail to reach poorer groups. We assessed the distribution of franchise utilization and content of care by socio-economic status (SES) in three maternal healthcare social franchises […]
Exposure to aflatoxin and fumonisin in children at risk for growth impairment in rural Tanzania
Growth impairment is a major public health issue for children in Tanzania. The question remains as to whether dietary mycotoxins play a role in compromising children’s growth. We examined children’s exposures to dietary aflatoxin and fumonisin and potential impacts on growth in 114 children under 36 months of age in Haydom, Tanzania. Plasma samples collected […]
Long-term trends in seasonality of mortality in urban Madagascar: the role of the epidemiological transition
Background: Seasonal patterns of mortality have been identified in Sub-Saharan Africa but their changes over time are not well documented. Objective: Based on death notification data from Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, this study assesses seasonal patterns of all-cause and cause-specific mortality by age groups and evaluates how these patterns changed over the period […]
Incidence of induced abortion and post-Abortion care in Tanzania
Background Tanzania has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, and unsafe abortion is one of its leading causes. Yet little is known about its incidence. Objectives To provide the first ever estimates of the incidence of unsafe abortion in Tanzania, at the national level and for each of the 8 geopolitical […]
Reducing barriers to postabortion contraception: The role of expanding coverage of postabortion care in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Background: In Tanzania, limited access to postabortion care (PAC) contributes to high rates of maternal mortality. To address the issue, Pathfinder International and the Tanzania Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC) introduced and expanded coverage of PAC in 64 public health facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: During a 30-month […]
Progress in adolescent health and wellbeing: tracking 12 headline indicators for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016
Background: Rapid demographic, epidemiological, and nutritional transitons have brought a pressing need to track progress in adolescent health. Here, we present country-level estimates of 12 headline indicators from the Lancet Commission on adolescent health and wellbeing, from 1990 to 2016. Methods: Indicators included those of health outcomes (disability-adjusted life-years [DALYs] due to communicable, maternal, and […]
Effect of diagnostic testing on medicines used by febrile children less than five years in 12 malaria-endemic African countries: A mixed-methods study
Background: In 2010, WHO revised guidelines to recommend testing all suspected malaria cases prior to treatment. Yet, evidence to assess programmes is largely derived from limited facility settings in a limited number of countries. National surveys from 12 sub-Saharan African countries were used to examine the effect of diagnostic testing on medicines used by febrile […]
Women’s perspectives on the measures that need to be taken to increase the use of health-care facility delivery service among slums women, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Background: Global strategies to target high maternal mortality ratios are focused on providing skilled attendance at delivery along with access to emergency obstetric care. Research that examines strategies to increase facility-based skilled birth attendance among slum residents in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is limited. Objective: The study aimed to explore women’s perspectives on the measures that […]
Analysis of socioeconomic differences in the quality of antenatal services in low and middle-income countries (LMICs)
The desired results of increasing access and availability of antenatal care (ANC) services may not be realized if the quality of care offered is not adequate. We analyzed the content/ quality of antenatal care to determine whether there are socioeconomic (education and wealth) inequalities in the services provided in 59 low and middle income countries […]
