Health disparities across the counties of Kenya and implications for policy makers, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Background: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2016 provided comprehensive estimates of health loss globally. Decision makers in Kenya can use GBD subnational data to target health interventions and address county-level variation in the burden of disease. Methods: We used GBD 2016 estimates of life expectancy at birth, healthy life […]

Postmortem investigations and identification of multiple causes of child deaths: An analysis of findings from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) network

Background The current burden of >5 million deaths yearly is the focus of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years old by 2030. To accelerate progression toward this goal, data are needed that accurately quantify the leading causes of death, so that interventions can target the […]

The magnitude and associated factors of immediate postpartum anemia among women who gave birth in east Gojjam zone hospitals, northwest- Ethiopia, 2020

Background Globally around half a million maternal death occurred annually related to labor and delivery of which twenty percent is contributed by post-partum anemia. Postpartum anemia contributes about two percent of total maternal mortality in Ethiopia. Immediate postpartum anemia is a common public health problem in most parts of the globe, being frequent in low […]

Prevalence and risk factors of malaria and anaemia and the impact of preventive methods among pregnant women: A case study at the Akatsi South District in Ghana

Aim This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence and risk factors of malaria and anaemia as well as the impact of preventive methods among pregnant women at the Akatsi South District Hospital of Ghana. Subjects and methods A hospital based cross-sectional study using simple random sampling technique was conducted among 200 pregnant women receiving antenatal […]

“Assessing Today for a Better Tomorrow”: An observational cohort study about quality of care, mortality and morbidity among newborn infants admitted to neonatal intensive care in Guinea

Background Neonatal mortality in Guinea accounts for about 30% of all fatalities in children younger than five years. Countrywide, specialized neonatal intensive care is provided in one single clinic with markedly limited resources. To implement targeted measures, prospective data on patient characteristics and factors of neonatal death are needed. Objective To determine the rates of […]

Frequent refresher training on newborn resuscitation and potential impact on perinatal outcome over time in a rural Tanzanian hospital: An observational study

Objectives Globally, perinatal mortality remains high, especially in sub-Saharan countries, mainly because of inadequate obstetric and newborn care. Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) resuscitation training as part of a continuous quality improvement (CQI) programme may improve outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe observed changes in perinatal survival during a 6-year period, while adjusting […]

Perceptions and experiences of pregnant women about routine HIV testing and counselling in Ghimbi town, Ethiopia: A qualitative study

Background: Ethiopia has implemented routine HIV testing and counselling using a provider initiated HIV testing (‘opt-out’ approach) to achieve high coverage of testing and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. However, women’s perceptions and experiences with this approach have not been well studied. We conducted a qualitative study to explore pregnant women’s perceptions and experiences […]

Effectiveness of home-based nutritional counselling and support on exclusive breastfeeding in urban poor settings in Nairobi: A cluster randomized controlled trial

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) improves infant health and survival. We tested the effectiveness of a home-based intervention using Community Health Workers (CHWs) on EBF for six months in urban poor settings in Kenya. Methods: We conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Korogocho and Viwandani slums in Nairobi. We recruited pregnant women and followed them until […]

Rationale, design and protocol of a cross-sectional study on pregnancy-related cardiovascular diseases in Tanzania (PRECARDT): Burden, characterisation and prognostic significance at delivery

Introduction The paucity of data describing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in pregnancy in many parts of Africa including Tanzania has given rise to challenges in proper management by the healthcare providers. This study is set out to (1) determine the prevalence of a range of CVDs during pregnancy in women attending antenatal clinics in Tanzania and […]