Title:
Improving Utilization of Antenatal, Skilled Deliveries and Postnatal Care in Zambia
Authors:
Mulendele, Collin
Year:
2014
Language:
En
Subject:
Maternal Health – Lessons Learned
Keywords:
Maternal Mortality in Zambia, Utilization of Maternal Health Services, Skilled Birth Attendants, Social Ecological Model
Abstract:
xi, 49
,
Background: Zambia is one of sub-Sahara African countries with a high MMR estimated at 591/100,000 live birth. The country has high levels of home delivery estimated at 53% with only 47% of deliveries being attended by skilled birth attendants and 61% of the women do not attend PNC. Most of the maternal dearth are due to conditions that can be prevented during perinatal, labor and postnatal periods. Objective: to identify and describe factors influencing utilization of skilled birth attendants during ANC, labor and postpartum period and give recommendations on effective interventions in improving utilization of maternal health services in order to reduce maternal mortality in Zambia Methods: A literature review of peer reviewed gray literature in maternal health was conducted. The Socio-Ecological model was used to analyze and describe factors influencing utilization of the three maternal health services. Results: community context, interpersonal, intrapersonal and institutional factors all influence utilization of ANC, skilled delivery and PNC in Zambia. The major factors found were cultural beliefs, parity, education, past experience, perceived quality of maternal health services, staff attitudes, poverty and shortage of health workers. Interventions such as training of skilled birth attendants, providing health facilities with equipment and drugs, girl child education, community support, conditional cash transfer, and task shifting were found to be effective in improving utilization of maternal health services. Conclusion: Utilization of ANC, skilled delivery and PNC in Zambia is a subject of complex factors that cannot be addressed by one intervention only. Long term and short term intervention should be addressed simultaneously to improve utilization of the three maternal health services. Recommendation: Government through MoH should continue training skilled birth attendants, upgrading and supplying of equipment and drugs at health facilities, girl child education and improving road network. Pilot cash transfer schemes and distribution of misoprostol through SMAGs and scale out EmONC and CEmONC trainings, re-employment of retired skilled birth attendants. Conduct a Research on attitudes of health workers followed with refresher training on desirable attitudes and code of practice.
Organization:
KIT - Royal Tropical Institute
,
VU - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Institute:
KIT (Royal Tropical Institue)
Department:
Development Policy & Practice
Country:
Zambia, Republic of
Region:
Southern Africa
Training:
Master of Public Health / International Course in Health Development (ICHD)
Category:
Research
Right:
© 2014 Mulendele
Document type:
Thesis/dissertation
File:
zK2dnBKvZs_20161026120251951.pdf