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100			_a Andrea Solnes Miltenburg _922933
245			_aAssessing emergency obstetric and newborn care: can performance indicators capture health system weaknesses?
260			_aMwanza, Tanzania _bCatholic University of Health and Allied Sciences CUHAS - Bugando _c20 March 2017
520			_aAbstract Background Regular monitoring and assessment of performance indicators for emergency obstetric and newborn care can help to identify priorities to improve health services for women and newborns. The aim of this study was to perform a district wide assessment of emergency obstetric and newborn care performance and identify ways for improvement. Methods Facility assessment of 13 dispensaries, four health centers and one district hospital in a rural district in Tanzania was performed in two data collection periods in 2014. Assessment included a facility walk-through to observe facility infrastructure and interviews with facility in-charges to assess available services, staff and supplies. In addition facility statistics were collected for the year 2013. Results were discussed with district representatives. Results Approximately 65% of expected births took place in health facilities and 22% of women with complications were treated in facilities expected to provide emergency care. None of the facilities was, however, able to perform at the expected level for emergency obstetric and newborn care since not all required signal functions could be provided. Inadequate availability of essential drugs such as uterotonics, antibiotics and anticonvulsants as well as lack of ability to perform vacuum extraction and blood transfusion limited performance. Conclusions Performance of emergency obstetric and newborn care in Magu District was not in accordance with expected guidelines and highly influenced by lack of available resources and an insufficiently functioning health care system. Improving assessment approaches, to look beyond the signal functions, can capture weaknesses in the system and will help to understand poor performance and identify locally applicable ways for improvement.
700			_aRichard Forget Kiritta _923126
700			_aThabea Benedicto Bishanga _923127
700			_aJos van Roosmalen _923128
700			_a Jelle Stekelenburg _923129
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999			_c18869 _d18869