A Multi-Methods Qualitative Study of the Delivery Care Experiences of Congolese Refugees in Uganda

Uganda hosts over 1.4 million refugees and is regarded as one of the world's most hospitable places for displaced populations. However, reports suggest that comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services remain inadequate. We aimed to explore the SRH experiences of Congolese refugees living in Uganda and ways that services could be improved. We focus this article on delivery care-related results.

In 2017, we assessed Congolese women's SRH, including pregnancy and delivery care, needs in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement and Kampala. We conducted a review of published literature and institutional records, 11 key informant interviews, four focus group discussions with married and unmarried Congolese women, and 21 in-person in-depth interviews with Congolese women refugees. We analyzed these data for content and themes using inductive and deductive techniques. In the final analytic phase, we integrated findings from each study component to identify concordant and discordant results.

Our findings indicate that Congolese refugees experience significant challenges accessing delivery care in both camp and urban settings. The availability of trained healthcare staff is limited, health facilities and medication supplies are inadequate, and referral systems are deficient. Refugee women report that corruption, discrimination, language barriers, and lack of privacy characterize their delivery experiences.

Efforts to increase trained healthcare staff, improve supply-chain management, and maintain infrastructure and equipment are imperative. Ensuring compliance with anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies and supporting respectful maternity care is also important. Creating approaches to overcome language barriers is crucial to minimizing miscommunication and building patient-provider trust.