Improving essential obstetric and newborn care in resource-poor countries

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Maternal and Child Health
• Healthcare Education

Background:

• Skilled birth attendance (SBA) and essential obstetric care (EOC) are crucial for reducing maternal and newborn mortality.
• A significant barrier to achieving global SBA and EOC targets is the lack of adequately trained healthcare professionals.
• Existing training programs may not fully address the complexities of obstetric and newborn complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the 'Life Saving Skills - Essential Obstetric and Newborn Care Training' (LSS-EOC and NC) package.
• To evaluate the impact of the training on healthcare providers' knowledge, skills, and satisfaction.
• To determine if the training meets the needs of healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Main Methods:

• A training package, 'Life Saving Skills - Essential Obstetric and Newborn Care Training' (LSS-EOC and NC), was implemented in seven sub-Saharan African countries.
• The study involved 600 healthcare providers, including nurse-midwives, doctors, clinical officers, and specialists.
• Knowledge and skills assessments were conducted before and after the training, alongside participant satisfaction surveys.

Main Results:

• Healthcare providers demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge regarding the diagnosis and management of pregnancy, childbirth complications, and newborn care (p < 0.001).
• Measurable improvements in practical skills related to essential obstetric and newborn care were observed (p < 0.001).
• Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the training program.

Conclusions:

• The LSS-EOC and NC training package is effective in enhancing healthcare providers' competence in essential obstetric and newborn care.
• The training successfully met the needs of healthcare providers, fostering evidence-based practices and teamwork.
• This intervention holds promise for improving maternal and newborn health outcomes by addressing critical workforce capacity gaps.