edoc-vmtest

Staff experiences of providing maternity services in rural southern Tanzania - a focus on equipment, drug and supply issues

Penfold, S. and Shamba, D. and Hanson, C. and Jaribu, J. and Manzi, F. and Marchant, T. and Tanner, M. and Ramsey, K. and Schellenberg, D. and Schellenberg, J. A.. (2013) Staff experiences of providing maternity services in rural southern Tanzania - a focus on equipment, drug and supply issues. BMC health services research, Vol. 13 , 61.

[img]
Preview
PDF - Published Version
Available under License CC BY (Attribution).

227Kb

Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A6124647

Downloads: Statistics Overview

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The poor maintenance of equipment and inadequate supplies of drugs and other items contribute to the low quality of maternity services often found in rural settings in low- and middle-income countries, and raise the risk of adverse maternal outcomes through delaying care provision. We aim to describe staff experiences of providing maternal care in rural health facilities in Southern Tanzania, focusing on issues related to equipment, drugs and supplies.METHODS: Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with different staff cadres from all facility levels in order to explore experiences and views of providing maternity care in the context of poorly maintained equipment, and insufficient drugs and other supplies. A facility survey quantified the availability of relevant items.RESULTS: The facility survey, which found many missing or broken items and frequent stock outs, corroborated staff reports of providing care in the context of missing or broken care items. Staff reported increased workloads, reduced morale, difficulties in providing optimal maternity care, and carrying out procedures that carried potential health risks to themselves as a result.CONCLUSIONS: Inadequately stocked and equipped facilities compromise the health system's ability to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity by affecting staff personally and professionally, which hinders the provision of timely and appropriate interventions. Improving stock control and maintaining equipment could benefit mothers and babies, not only through removing restrictions to the availability of care, but also through improving staff working conditions.
Faculties and Departments:03 Faculty of Medicine > Departement Public Health > Sozial- und Präventivmedizin > Malaria Vaccines (Tanner)
09 Associated Institutions > Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) > Former Units within Swiss TPH > Malaria Vaccines (Tanner)
UniBasel Contributors:Tanner, Marcel
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:BioMed Central
ISSN:1472-6963
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Language:English
Related URLs:
Identification Number:
edoc DOI:
Last Modified:31 Dec 2015 10:52
Deposited On:24 May 2013 09:19

Repository Staff Only: item control page