Loss to follow up of pregnant women with HIV and infant HIV outcomes in the prevention of maternal to child transmission of HIV programme in two high-burden provinces in Papua New Guinea: A retrospective clinical audit
Introduction Despite early adoption of the WHO guidelines to deliver lifelong antiretroviral (ARV) regimen to pregnant women on HIV diagnosis, the HIV prevention of mother to child transmission programme in Papua New Guinea remains suboptimal. An unacceptable number of babies are infected with HIV and mothers not retained in treatment. This study aimed to describe […]
Exploring health-seeking behavior among adolescent mothers during the Ebola epidemic in Western rural district of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Background: From 2014 to 2016, the largest Ebola outbreak in history threatened Sierra Leone and its neighbouring countries, Guinea and Liberia. The Ebola outbreak impacted pregnant adolescent girl’s access to prenatal care during the pandemic. The aim of this study is to understand health-seeking behaviour among adolescent mothers who were pregnant during the Ebola epidemic […]
Barriers and enablers to young people accessing sexual and reproductive health services in Pacific Island Countries and Territories: A scoping review
Background The number of young people utilising sexual and reproductive health services in Pacific Island Countries and Territories remains poor despite the availability and the existence of the fundamental rights to access these services. Adolescents and youth need accurate information and timely access to contraceptives to prevent adverse consequences associated with unintended pregnancies, abortion, childbirth […]
Twelve month follow-up of a contraceptive implant outreach service in rural Papua New Guinea
Background: Poor access to contraception contributes to persistently high maternal mortality rates in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Since 2012 contraceptive implants have been provided to women in rural areas of PNG through outreach services but follow-up data in these communities on continuation and acceptability is lacking. Objective: To gain insight into women’s experience with contraceptive […]
Availability and Utilization of Postabortion Care Services in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Guinea: A Secondary Analysis of Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care Needs Assessments (EmONC)
SYNOPSIS: Generally, there are disparities in the availability and utilization of postabortion care services within the different regions at the national level in Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, and Guinea and between the 3 countries. Access to postabortion care at the primary level must be improved and the adoption of family planning when providing postabortion care. […]
Child vaccination in sub-Saharan Africa: Increasing coverage addresses inequalities
Background: Vaccines have substantially contributed to reducing morbidity and mortality among children, but inequality in coverage continues to persist. In this study, we aimed to examine inequalities in child vaccination coverage in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We analysed Demographic and Health Survey data in 25 sub-Saharan African countries. We defined full vaccination coverage as a child […]
Programmes for the prevention of parent-to-child transmission of HIV in Papua New Guinea: Health system challenges and opportunities
Background: Prevention of parent-to-child transmission (PPTCT) of HIV is a highly complex package of interventions, which spans services in both maternal and child health programmes. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), a commitment to ensure that all pregnant women and their partners have access to the full range of PPTCT interventions exists; however, efforts to increase […]
Reproductive health for refugees by refugees in Guinea III: Maternal health
Background: Maternal mortality can be particularly high in conflict and chronic emergency settings, partly due to inaccessible maternal care. This paper examines associations of refugee-led health education, formal education, age, and parity on maternal knowledge, attitudes, and practices among reproductive-age women in refugee camps in Guinea. Methods. Data comes from a 1999 cross-sectional survey of […]
Discrepancies between national maternal mortality data and international estimates: The experience of Papua New Guinea
Over the past 30 years maternal mortality estimates for Papua New Guinea have varied widely. There is no mandatory vital registration in PNG, and 85% of the population live in rural areas with limited or no access to health services. Demographic Health Survey data for PNG estimates the maternal mortality ratio to be 370 deaths […]
Access to skilled attendant at birth and the coverage of the third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine across 14 West African countries – An equity analysis
Background: Universal Health Coverage (UHC) remains a critical public health goal that continues to elude many countries of the global south. As countries strive for its attainment, it is important to track progress in various subregions of the world to understand current levels and mechanisms of progress for shared learning. Our aim was to compare […]
