Assessing the functionality of an emergency obstetric referral system and continuum of care among public healthcare facilities in a low resource setting: an application of process mapping approach
Background: Weak referral systems remain a major concern influencing timely access to the appropriate level of care during obstetric emergencies, particularly for Low-and Middle-Income Countries, including Ghana. It is a serious factor threatening the achievement of the maternal health Sustainable Development Goal. The objective of this study is to establish process details of emergency obstetric […]
Health system resilience during COVID-19 understanding SRH service adaptation in North Kivu
Background: There is often collateral damage to health systems during epidemics, affecting women and girls the most, with reduced access to non-outbreak related services, particularly in humanitarian settings. This rapid case study examines sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when the COVID-19 hit, towards the end of an […]
What makes advocacy work? Stakeholders’ voices and insights from prioritisation of maternal and child health programme in Nigeria
Background: The Nigerian government introduced and implemented a health programme to improve maternal and child health (MCH) called Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment programme for MCH (SURE-P/MCH). It ran from 2012 and ended abruptly in 2015 and was followed by increased advocacy for sustaining the MCH (antenatal, delivery, postnatal and immunization) services as a policy priority. […]
Health-seeking behaviour of Ethiopian caregivers when infants are unwell: a descriptive qualitative study
OBJECTIVES: To explore the health-seeking behaviour of Ethiopian caregivers when infants are unwell. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive approach was employed using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data were collected using semistructured interview guides. SETTING: The study was conducted in East Gojjam zone, Amhara region, northwest Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were selected using a maximum variation […]
Missed opportunities in antenatal care for improving the health of pregnant women and newborns in Geita district, Northwest Tanzania
Background: Despite the significant benefits of early detection and management of pregnancy related complications during antenatal care (ANC) visits, not all pregnant women in Tanzania initiate ANC in a timely manner. The primary objectives of this research study in rural communities of Geita district, Northwest Tanzania were: 1) to conduct a population-based study that examined […]
Factors influencing rapid progress in child health in post-conflict Liberia: A mixed methods country case study on progress in child survival, 2000-2013
Objectives Only 12 countries in the WHO’s African region met Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) to reduce under-five mortality by two-thirds by 2015. Given the variability across the African region, a four-country mixed methods study was undertaken to examine barriers and facilitators of child survival prior to 2015. Liberia was selected for an in-depth […]
How and why front-line health workers (did not) use a multifaceted mHealth intervention to support maternal and neonatal healthcare decision-making in Ghana
Introduction Despite increasing use of mHealth interventions, there remains limited documentation of â € how and why’ they are used and therefore the explanatory mechanisms behind observed effects on beneficiary health outcomes. We explored â € how and why’ an mHealth intervention to support clinical decision-making by front-line providers of maternal and neonatal healthcare services […]
Community health workers programme in Luanda, Angola: An evaluation of the implementation process
Background: The Community Health Workers (CHWs) Programme was launched in Luanda, Angola, in 2007 as an initiative of the provincial government. The aim of this study was to assess its implementation process. Methods: This is a case study with documental analysis, CHWs reports data, individual interviews and focus groups. Results: Until June 2009, the programme […]
Effect of diagnostic testing on medicines used by febrile children less than five years in 12 malaria-endemic African countries: A mixed-methods study
Background: In 2010, WHO revised guidelines to recommend testing all suspected malaria cases prior to treatment. Yet, evidence to assess programmes is largely derived from limited facility settings in a limited number of countries. National surveys from 12 sub-Saharan African countries were used to examine the effect of diagnostic testing on medicines used by febrile […]
The impact of polio eradication on routine immunization and primary health care: A mixed-methods study
Background. After 2 decades of focused efforts to eradicate polio, the impact of eradication activities on health systems continues to be controversial. This study evaluated the impact of polio eradication activities on routine immunization (RI) and primary healthcare (PHC). We used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the relationship between polio eradication […]
