Community pharmacy professionals’ practice in responding to minor symptoms experienced by pregnant women in Ethiopia: results from sequential mixed methods
Background: In countries with limited access to healthcare services, community pharmacists’ management of minor symptoms experienced by pregnant women could be beneficial in terms of alleviating the burden of other health professionals and cost of services. However, evidence is limited regarding the practice of community pharmacy professionals in responding to minor pregnancy-related symptoms more generally, […]
How COVID-19 affected food systems, health service delivery and maternal and infant nutrition practices: Implications for moving forward in Kenya
This implementation research study sought to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and infant nutrition practices, and related aspects of health and food systems in Nairobi and Uasin Gishu Counties, Kenya. The study triangulated in-depth interviews with 16 pregnant women, 31 lactating women (including COVID-19 positive), 10 facility health workers, 10 community health […]
Helping Babies Breathe, second edition: A model for strengthening educational programs to increase global newborn survival
Background: Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), a skills-based program in neonatal resuscitation for birth attendants in resource-limited settings, has been implemented in over 80 countries since 2010. Implementation studies of HBB incorporating low-dose high-frequency practice and quality improvement show substantial reductions in fresh stillbirth and first-day neonatal mortality. Revision of the program aimed to further augment […]
Implementing prevention policies for mother-to-child transmission of HIV in rural Malawi, South Africa and United Republic of Tanzania, 2013–2016
Objective To assess adoption of World Health Organization (WHO) guidance into national policies for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to monitor implementation of guidelines at facility level in rural Malawi, South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania. Methods We summarized national PMTCT policies and WHO guidance for 15 […]
Institutional delivery and associated factors among women who gave birth in Benishangul Gumuz region, South West Ethiopia
Background: Maternal mortality from pregnancy and childbirth remains a major public health problem. Increasing access to institutional delivery is one of the key strategies to reduce childbirth-related maternal mortality. Despite all the efforts, institutional deliveries in Ethiopia remain low. Understanding factors associated with institutional delivery is important to devise strategies to improve facility based child […]
Anemia severity among children aged 6-59 months in Gondar town, Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study
Background: Anemia is a public health problem affecting both developed and developing countries. Childhood anemia is associated with serious consequences including growth retardation, impaired motor and cognitive development, and increased morbidity and mortality. Hence, this study aimed at assessing the prevalence and factors associated with severity of anemia among children aged 6-59 months in Gondar […]
Institutional delivery and postnatal care services utilizations in Abuna Gindeberet District, West Shewa, Oromiya Region, Central Ethiopia: A Community-based cross sectional study
Background: Delivery at health institutions under the care of trained health-care providers and utilization of postnatal cares services plays vital roles in promoting child survival and reducing the risk of maternal mortality. More than 80 % of maternal deaths can be prevented if pregnant women access to essential maternity cares like antenatal care, institutional delivery […]
Factors associated with malaria care seeking among children under 5 years of age in Mozambique: a secondary analysis of the 2018 Malaria Indicator Survey
Background: Mozambique is ranked fourth in a list of the 29 countries that accounted for 95% of all malaria cases globally in 2019. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with care seeking for fever, to determine the association between knowledge about malaria and care seeking and to describe the main reasons […]
Why do pregnant women in Iringa region in Tanzania start antenatal care late? A qualitative analysis
Background: When started early in pregnancy and continued up till childbirth, antenatal care (ANC) can be effective in reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes. While the proportion of women who attend ANC at least once in low income countries is high, most pregnant women attend their first ANC late. In Tanzania, while over 51% of pregnant women […]
Facilitators and barriers to implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in public South African hospitals
Objective: The South African National Department of Health released guidelines and recommendations for antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs to be established in public healthcare facilities. Their implementation remains challenged, especially in North West Province, where the public health system functions under severe strain. This research explored and interpreted the facilitators that strengthen and barriers that hinder […]
