Strengthening and monitoring health system's capacity to improve availability, utilization and quality of emergency obstetric care in northern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Quality improvement in emergency obstetric care (EmOC) is a critical and cost-effective suite of interventions for the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of quality improvement interventions following a baseline assessment in Bauchi state, Nigeria. METHODS: This was a prospective before and after study between June 2012, and April 2015 in Bauchi State, Nigeria. The surveys included 21 hospitals designated by Ministry of Health (MoH) as comprehensive EmOC centers and 38 primary healthcare centers (PHCs) designated as basic EmOC centers. Data on EmOC services was collected using structured established EmOC tools developed by the Averting Maternal Death and Disability (AMDD), and analyzed using univariate and bivariate statistical analyses. RESULTS: Facilities providing seven or nine signal EmOC functions increased from 6 (10.2%) in 2012 to 21 (35.6%) in 2015. Basic EmOC facilities increased from 1 (2.6%) to 7 (18.4%) and comprehensive EmOC facilities rose from 3 (14.3%) to 13 (61.9%). Facility birth increased from 3.6% to 8.0%. Cesarean birth rates increased from 3.8% in 2012 to 5.6% in 2015. Met need for EmOC more than doubled from 3.3% in 2012 to 9.9% in 2015. Direct obstetric case fatality rates increased from 3.1% in 2012 to 4.0% in 2015. Major direct obstetric complications as a percent of total maternal deaths was 70.9%, down from 80.1% in 2012. CONCLUSION: The rise in the percent of facility-based births and in met need for EmOC suggest that interventions recommended and implemented after the baseline study resulted in increased availability, access and utilization of EmOC. Higher patient load, late arrival and better record keeping may explain the associated increase in case fatality rates.

Monitoring maternal and newborn health outcomes in Bauchi State, Nigeria: an evaluation of a standards-based quality improvement intervention.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the correlation between compliance with set performance standards and maternal and neonatal deaths in health facilities. DESIGN: Baseline and three annual follow-up assessments were conducted, and each was followed by a quality improvement initiative using the Standards Based Management and Recognition (SBM-R) approach. SETTING: Twenty-three secondary health facilities of Bauchi state, Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Health care workers and maternity unit patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We examined trends in: (i) achievement of SBM-R set performance standards based on annual assessment data, (ii) the use of maternal and newborn health (MNH) service delivery practices based on data from health facility registers and supportive supervision and (iii) MNH outcomes based on routine service statistics. RESULTS: At the baseline assessment in 2010, the facilities achieved 4% of SBM-R standards for MNH, on average, and this increased to 86% in 2013. Over the same time period, the study measured an increase in the administration of uterotonic for active management of third stage of labor from 10% to 95% and a decline in the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage from 3.3% to 1.9%. Institutional neonatal mortality rate decreased from 9 to 2 deaths per 1000 live births, while the institutional maternal mortality ratio dropped from 4113 to 1317 deaths per 100 000 live births. CONCLUSION: Scaling up SBM-R for quality improvement has the potential to prevent maternal and neonatal deaths in Nigeria and similar settings.

Factors influencing the use of magnesium sulphate in pre-eclampsia/eclampsia management in health facilities in Northern Nigeria: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Eclampsia remains a major cause of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. We examined facilitators and barriers to the use of magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) in the management of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E) in health facilities in Bauchi and Sokoto States in Nigeria. METHODS: Data were collected from 80 health facilities using a cross-sectional, mixed method (quantitative and qualitative) design. We assessed health facility readiness to manage PE/E and use MgSO4 as the drug of choice, through provider interviews, in-depth interviews with facility managers and an inventory of equipment and supply in facilities. Bivariate and qualitative data analyses were performed to isolate the principal enabling factors and barriers to the management of PE/E and use of MgSO4. RESULTS: The majority of health facility providers correctly mentioned MgSO4 as the drug of choice for the prevention and termination of convulsions in severe PE/E (65 %). Sixty-four percent of the health facilities had service registers available. About 45 % of providers had been trained on the use of MgSO4 for the management of PE/E. Regarding providers' practices, 45 % of respondents indicated that MgSO4 was used to prevent and treat convulsions in severe PE/E in their facilities. Barriers to management of PE/E included inadequate numbers of skilled providers, frequent shortages of MgSO4, lack of essential equipment and supplies, irregular supply of electricity and water, and non-availability of guidelines and clinical protocols at the health facilities. Technical support to providers was inadequate. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that a constellation of factors adversely affect the management of PE/E and especially the use of MgSO4 by service providers. Efforts to improve the management of PE/E in facilities should include integrated programs that substantially improve provider and facility readiness to manage PE/E for better maternal and newborn health outcomes in Northern Nigeria.

Countdown to 2015: Tracking Maternal and Child Health Intervention Targets Using Lot Quality Assurance Sampling in Bauchi State Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Improving maternal and child health remains a top priority in Nigeria's Bauchi State in the northeastern region where the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) are as high as 1540 per 100,000 live births and 78 per 1,000 live births respectively. In this study, we used the framework of the continuum of maternal and child care to evaluate the impact of interventions in Bauchi State focused on improved maternal and child health, and to ascertain progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. METHODS: At baseline (2012) and then at follow-up (2013), we randomly sampled 340 households from 19 random locations in each of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGA) of Bauchi State in Northern Nigeria, using the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) technique. Women residents in the households were interviewed about their own health and that of their children. Estimated LGA coverage of maternal and child health indicators were aggregated across the State. These values were then compared to the national figures, and the differences from 2012 to 2014 were calculated. RESULTS: For several of the indicators, a modest improvement from baseline was found. However, the indicators in the continuum of care neither reached the national average nor attained the 90% globally recommended coverage level. The majority of the LGA surveyed were classifiable as high priority, thus requiring intensified efforts and programmatic scale up. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive scale-up of programs and interventions is needed in Bauchi State, Northern Nigeria, to accelerate, consolidate and sustain the modest but significant achievements in the continuum of care, if MDGs 4 and 5 are to be achieved by the end of 2015. The intentional focus of LGAs as the unit of intervention ought to be considered a condition precedent for future investments. Priority should be given to the re-allocating resources to program areas and regions where coverage has been low. Finally, systematic considerations need to be given to the design of strategies that address the demand for health services.

Availability, utilization, and quality of emergency obstetric care services in Bauchi State, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: To report the availability, utilization, and quality of emergency obstetric care (EmOC) services in Bauchi State, Nigeria. METHODS: Between June and July 2012, a cross-sectional survey of health facilities was conducted. Data on the performance of EmOC services between June 2011 and May 2012 were obtained from records of 20 general hospitals and 39 primary healthcare centers providing delivery services. Additionally, structured interviews with facility managers were conducted. RESULTS: Only 6 (10.2%) of the 59 facilities met the UN requirements for EmOC centers. None of the three senatorial zones in Bauchi State had the minimum acceptable number of five EmOC facilities per 500 000 population. Overall, 10 517 (4.4%) of the estimated 239 930 annual births took place in EmOC facilities. Cesarean delivery accounted for 3.6% (n=380) of the 10 517 births occurring in EmOC facilities and 0.2% of the 239 930 expected live births. Only 1416 (3.9%) of the expected 35 990 obstetric complications were managed in EmOC facilities. Overall, 45 (3.2%) of 1416 women with major direct obstetric complications treated at EmOC facilities died. Among 379 maternal deaths, 317 (83.6%) were attributable to major direct obstetric complications. CONCLUSION: Availability, utilization, and quality of EmOC services in Bauchi State, Nigeria, are suboptimal. The health system's capacity to manage emergency obstetric complications needs to be strengthened.