Abstract:


Introduction; Antenatal care for infants is an umbrella term describe the medical procedures and care that are carried during first of year life and is important in helping to ensure a healthy infant state. Child health, growth and development can be affected by the level of knowledge caregivers and utilization of available child health care services.

Inequity in access and use of child and maternal health is impending progress towards reduction of maternal mortality in low-come countries. To address low usage of maternal and newborn health care service as well as financial, some countries have adopted demand side financing. In 2010, Tanzania introduced free health insurance cards to pregnant women and their families to influence access, use and provision of health service. However, little is known about whether the use of the maternal and child health services. However, little is known about whether the use of the maternal and child health cards improved equity in access and use of maternal and child health care services.

Tanzania’s more modest achievements in reducing maternal and neonatal deaths are due in part to inadequate infrastructure, a lack of trained health workers in the most remote areas, and limited availability of necessary commodities, including supplies for facility based childbirth.

The government of Tanzania has articulated ambitious plans to improve the population’s access to the health services. Its strategy includes aggressively training, deploying health workers, provision of essential services as free of charge such as RCH service for infants, under five years children, pregnant mothers and bolstering domestic financing for health through a national health insurance scheme.

Aim: The aim of the study is to determine RCH card availability and usefulness among care giver with infants.

Methods: A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study involving care giver attending RCH clinic at Misungwi District in Mwanza region. A self-administered questionnaire with closed ended questions was used to collect information from the participants. A total of 361 participants was enrolled during the study. Ethical clearance to conduct this study obtained from CUHAS Ethical Committee. Confidentiality to participant’s information maintained through the research period and only unique identification numbers will be used for each questionnaire.

Result: A total of 361 women was enrolled age mean of the 28.55 with standard deviation of 6.5 ranging from 16 through 45. Women aged 26-35 showed to have large number of participation 44.3% (160) compared to the other age group. Most of them had primary education 58.7% (212), peasant 62% (224), most of them married 69.3% (250). Among these women their parity range from 1-4, 88.1% (318). RCH card was available about 96% respondent declared that the card are available where 4%they don’t know, 313 respondent prove it that it is helpfully to them. The information which they knew that found in the card are like vaccination 162 women and others knows the card also help in the recording and measuring of body weight and infant assessment about 134, others about treatment 52 only few 13 know nothing about the cards. The barriers access ANC/PNC are familial problems like diseases, death during the post-natal period or antenatal period 46.5% (168). Distance of the health facility as another factors which follows after familial problems account of 20.5% (74), follows with cultures and finally economic factors.

Conclusion:RHC cards one had been designed to help in the assessment of the mother during pregnancy and after pregnancy in which it can help to predict the pregnancy complication and plan for management like the way of delivery and care after delivery. Through it maternal health have improved significantly with their babies because after delivery mother supposed to attend to post-natal care where both are well assessed for their health improvement. The study had proved the availability of the cards and the useful information found despite of the barriers which hinder the mother to attend or to access the care.