The challenges for women’s health in sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons learned from an integrative multistakeholder workshop in Gabon

The sub-Saharan African (SSA) region is home to more than 230 million females of reproductive age who face multiple intersecting health, social, gender and economic challenges [1]. Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of chronic disabling, almost exclusively communicable diseases affecting the poorest of the poor, especially in Africa, which alone bears about 40% […]

Challenges and facilitators to evidence-based decision-making for maternal and child health in Mozambique: District, municipal and national case studies

Background: The need for evidence-based decision-making in the health sector is well understood in the global health community. Yet, gaps persist between the availability of evidence and the use of that evidence. Most research on evidence-based decision-making has been carried out in higher-income countries, and most studies look at policy-making rather than decision-making more broadly. […]

Perceptions and decision-making with regard to pregnancy among HIV positive women in rural Maputo Province, Mozambique – A qualitative study

Background: In preventing the transfer of HIV to their children, the Ministry of Health in Mozambique recommends all couples follow medical advice prior to a pregnancy. However, little is known about how such women experience pregnancy, nor the values they adhere to when making childbearing decisions. This qualitative study explores perceptions and decision-making processes regarding […]

Effects of health-system strengthening on under-5, infant, and neonatal mortality: 11-year provincial-level time-series analyses in Mozambique

Background: Knowledge of the relation between health-system factors and child mortality could help to inform health policy in low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to quantify modifiable health-system factors and their relation with provincial-level heterogeneity in under-5, infant, and neonatal mortality over time in Mozambique. Methods: Using Demographic and Health Survey (2003 and 2011) and […]

Implementation of a community transport strategy to reduce delays in seeking obstetric care in rural Mozambique

Introduction: Delays due to long distances to health facilities, poor road infrastructure, and lack of affordable transport options contribute to the burden of maternal deaths in Mozambique. This study aimed to assess the implementation and uptake of an innovative community-based transport program to improve access to emergency obstetric care in southern Mozambique. Methods: From April […]

Pregnancy outcomes and blood pressure visit-to-visit variability and level in three less-developed countries

In pregnancy in well-resourced settings, limited data suggest that higher blood pressure (BP) visit-to-visit variability may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Included were pregnant women in 22 intervention clusters of the CLIP (Community- Level Interventions for Preeclampsia) cluster randomized trials, who had received at least 2 prenatal contacts from a community health worker, including […]

Group B streptococcus infection during pregnancy and infancy: estimates of regional and global burden

Background: Group B streptococcus (GBS) colonisation during pregnancy can lead to invasive GBS disease (iGBS) in infants, including meningitis or sepsis, with a high mortality risk. Other outcomes include stillbirths, maternal infections, and prematurity. There are data gaps, notably regarding neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI), especially after iGBS sepsis, which have limited previous global estimates. In this […]

Community-linked maternal death review (CLMDR) to measure and prevent maternal mortality: A pilot study in rural Malawi

Background: In Malawi, maternal mortality remains high. Existing maternal death reviews fail to adequately review most deaths, or capture those that occur outside the health system. We assessed the value of community involvement to improve capture and response to community maternal deaths. Methods: We designed and piloted a community-linked maternal death review (CLMDR) process in […]

The triple threat of pregnancy, HIV infection and malaria: Reported causes of maternal mortality in two nationwide health facility assessments in Mozambique, 2007 and 2012

Background: The paper’s primary purpose is to determine changes in magnitude and causes of institutional maternal mortality in Mozambique. We also describe shifts in the location of institutional deaths and changes in availability of prevention and treatment measures for malaria and HIV infection. Methods: Two national cross-sectional assessments of health facilities with childbirth services were […]

Policymaker, health provider and community perspectives on male involvement during pregnancy in southern Mozambique: A qualitative study

Background: Increasing male involvement during pregnancy is considered an important, but often overlooked intervention for improving maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa. Intervention studies aimed at improving maternal health mostly target mothers hereby ignoring the crucial role their partners play in their ability to access antenatal care (ANC) and to prevent and treat infectious diseases like […]