High proportions of obstetric referrals in Addis Ababa: The case of term premature rupture of membranes Emergency Medicine
Background: The Public Health Centers (HCs) provide basic obstetric and neonatal care to about 80 % of the eligible population in Addis Ababa. Hospitals provide comprehensive services and are referral centers for complications that cannot be managed at the HCs. This study assessed the proportion of obstetric referrals in general and referrals due to premature […]
Determinants of healthcare providers’ confidence in their clinical skills to deliver quality obstetric and newborn care in Uganda and Zambia
Background: Poor quality obstetric and newborn care persists in sub-Saharan Africa and weak provider competence is an important contributor. To be competent, providers need to be both knowledgeable and confident in their ability to perform necessary clinical actions. Confidence or self-efficacy has not been extensively studied but may be related to individuals’ knowledge, ability to […]
Incidence of malaria-related fever and morbidity due to Plasmodium falciparum among HIV1-infected pregnant women: A prospective cohort study in South Benin
Background: Malaria and HIV are two major causes of morbidity and mortality among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Foetal and neonatal outcomes of this co-infection have been extensively studied. However, little is known about maternal morbidity due to clinical malaria in pregnancy, especially malaria-related fever, in the era of generalized access to antiretroviral therapy and […]
Postpartum weight change in relation to pre‐pregnancy weight and gestational weight gain in women in low‐income setting: Data from the kite cohort in the northern part of Ethiopia
(1) Background: Postpartum weight may increase compared to pre‐pregnancy due to weight retention or decrease due to weight loss. Both changes could pose deleterious effects on maternal health and subsequent pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to assess postpartum weight change and its associated factors. (2) Methods: A total of 585 women from the KIlte‐Awlaelo […]
Limited handwashing facility and associated factors in sub-Saharan Africa: pooled prevalence and multilevel analysis of 29 sub-Saharan Africa countries from demographic health survey data
Introduction: Handwashing is fundamentally an inexpensive means of reducing the spread of communicable diseases. In developing countries, many people die due to infectious diseases that could be prevented by proper hand hygiene. The recent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is a threat to people who are living in resource-limited countries including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Effective hand hygiene […]
The impact of the West Africa Ebola outbreak on obstetric health care in Sierra Leone
Background: As Sierra Leone celebrates the end of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak, we can begin to fully grasp its impact on already weak health systems. The EVD outbreak in West Africa forced many hospitals to close down or reduce their activity, either to prevent nosocomial transmission or because of staff shortages. The aim […]
Promoting access equity and improving health care for women, children and people living with HIV/AIDS in Burkina Faso through mHealth
Background In Burkina Faso, access to health services for women, children and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) remains limited. Mobile telephony offers an alternative solution for reaching these individuals. The objective of the study was to improve equity of access to health care and information among women and PLWHAs by reinforcing community participation. Methods Using […]
Involving traditional birth attendants in emergency obstetric care in Tanzania: Policy implications of a study of their knowledge and practices in Kigoma Rural District
Introduction. Access to quality maternal health services mainly depends on existing policies, regulations, skills, knowledge, perceptions, and economic power and motivation of service givers and target users. Critics question policy recommending involvement of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in emergency obstetric care (EmoC) services in developing countries. Objectives. This paper reports about knowledge and practices of […]
Animal source food social and behavior change communication intervention among girinka livestock transfer beneficiaries in rwanda: A cluster randomized evaluation
Animal source foods (ASFs), including cow’s milk, contain essential nutrients and contribute to a healthy diet, but frequency of intake is low among children in low- and middle-income countries. We hypothesized that an ASF social and behavior change communication (SBCC) intervention implemented by community health workers (CHWs) would increase child milk consumption and dietary diversity […]
Breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy among mothers with infant and young child in rural Ethiopia
Background Breastfeeding has several benefits for both mothers and their children. Despite strong evidence in support of the practice, its prevalence has remained low worldwide, particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess breastfeeding knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy among mothers with index infants and young children in the rural community of Southwest Ethiopia. […]
