Cost of installing and operating an electronic clinical decision support system for maternal health care: Case of Tanzania rural primary health centres
Background: Poor quality of care is among the causes of high maternal and newborn disease burden in Tanzania. Potential reason for poor quality of care is the existence of a “know-do gap” where by health workers do not perform to the best of their knowledge. An electronic clinical decision support system (CDSS) for maternal health […]
Infant TB Infection Prevention Study (iTIPS): A randomised trial protocol evaluating isoniazid to prevent M. tuberculosis infection in HIV-exposed uninfected children
Introduction: HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) infants in tuberculosis (TB) endemic settings are at high risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection and TB disease, even in the absence of known Mtb exposure. Because infancy is a time of rapid progression from primary infection to active TB disease, it is important to define when and how TB preventive […]
Did saving mothers, giving life expand timely access to lifesaving care in Uganda? A spatial district-level analysis of travel time to emergency obstetric and newborn care
Introduction: Interventions for the Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL) initiative aimed to ensure all pregnant women in SMGL-supported districts have timely access to emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC). Spatial travel-time analyses provide a visualization of changes in timely access. Methods: We compared travel-time estimates to EmONC health facilities in SMGL-supported districts in western Uganda […]
Barriers in the delivery of emergency obstetric and neonatal care in post-conflict Africa: Qualitative case studies of Burundi and Northern Uganda
Objectives Maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity rates are particularly grim in conflict, postconflict and other crisis settings, a situation partly blamed on non-availability and/or poor quality of emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) services. The aim of this study was to explore the barriers to effective delivery of EmONC services in post-conflict Burundi and […]
“We come as friends”: Approaches to social accountability by health committees in Northern Malawi
Background: In Malawi, as in many low-and middle-income countries, health facility committees (HFCs) are involved in the governance of health services. Little is known about the approaches they use and the challenges they face. This study explores how HFCs monitor the quality of health services and how they demand accountability of health workers for their […]
Factors influencing health facility delivery in predominantly rural communities across the three ecological zones in Ghana: A cross-sectional study
Background: Maternal and neonatal mortality indicators remain high in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries. Both maternal and neonatal health outcomes improve when skilled personnel provide delivery services within health facilities. Determinants of delivery location are crucial to promoting health facility deliveries, but little research has been done on this issue in Ghana. This study […]
Effect of enhanced reminders on postnatal clinic attendance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cluster randomized controlled trial
Background: Failure to attend maternal health services is an intractable challenge for the health-care system in low- and middle-income countries. The use of technology for reminding patients about their appointments has been demonstrated to be an effective (future) tool toward increased health care services utilization in developing countries, such as Ethiopia. Objective: We aimed to […]
Birhan maternal and child health cohort: A study protocol
Introduction Reliable estimates on maternal and child morbidity and mortality are essential for health programmes and policies. Data are needed in populations, which have the highest burden of disease but also have the least evidence and research, to design and evaluate health interventions to prevent illnesses and deaths that occur worldwide each year. Methods and […]
Time-to-recovery from severe acute malnutrition in children 6-59 months of age enrolled in the outpatient treatment program in Shebedino, Southern Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study
Background: In Ethiopia uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is managed at health posts level through the outpatient therapeutic program (OTP). Yet, evidence on the treatment success rate of the program is scarce. This study determines the treatment outcomes and predictors of time-to-recovery among children 6-59 months of age with SAM managed at the health posts […]
Enhancing Nutrition and Antenatal Infection Treatment (ENAT) study: Protocol of a pragmatic clinical effectiveness study to improve birth outcomes in Ethiopia
Introduction The WHO Nutrition Target aims to reduce the global prevalence of low birth weight by 30% by the year 2025. The Enhancing Nutrition and Antenatal Infection Treatment (ENAT) study will test the impact of packages of pregnancy interventions to enhance maternal nutrition and infection management on birth outcomes in rural Ethiopia. Methods and analysis […]
