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IPTp &Malaria in Pregnancy &Quality of Services Bill Brieger | 15 Apr 2018 06:27 am

Improved IPTp Uptake: MCSP Restoration of Health Services Experience in Liberia

Nyapu D.Taylor, Birhanu Getahun,Topian Zikeh, Anne Fiedler, and Allyson Nelson of the USAID supported Maternal and Child Survival Program/Jhpiego in Liberia are presenting their project aimed at strengthening health services in Liberia to improve uptake of Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy at the 7th Multilateral Initiative for Malaria in Dakar this week. Below are a description of their work and their main findings.

Mother and baby in Liberian Government Hospital, Grand Bassa County, Liberia. Photo by Kate Holt, Jhpiego.

In Liberia more than 170,000 pregnancies occur each year. Provision of two or more doses of SP for IPTp (IPTp2+) merely increased from 50% 2016. Provision of the three or more doses of

IPTp (IPTp3+) remains at 22%.Liberia adopted WHO’s IPTp3+ guideline but it is not practiced all over the country. There is a gap in the competency of the health care workforce. There are recurring stock-outs of SP.The Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) Restoration of Health Services (RHS) intended to address these challenges. Project

Objectives included Prevention at facilities by strengthening infection prevention and control (IPC) practices at 77 health facilities through training, intensive supportive supervision, triage, improvement of waste management, and provision of essential IPC commodities and supplies.  Also the project aimed to Increase utilization of and demand for maternal and child health services bu restoring delivery of quality primary health care services through implementation of integrated reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health as part of the Essential Package of Health Services in 77 facilities.

MCSP RHS supported health facilities in three counties:

  • Grand Bassa: 30 (91% of health facilities in county)
  • Lofa: 17 (27% of health facilities in county)
  • Nimba: 30 (46% of health facilities in county)

Population coverage was 900,000 or 20% of population. This included 45,000 pregnancies per year. The Project timeline is September 2015–June 2018. The quality improvement process used in the project is seen in the attached diagram.

Several achievements were documented. Adherence to malaria clinical standards improved from 25% at baseline to 100% at endline in 39 MCSP-supported facilities—sampled at endline (see Figure 1). Adherence to malaria clinical standards improved substantially from baseline to endline in 39 MCSP-supported facilities—sampled at endline (see Figure 2). Increasing uptake of IPT2+ in the 77 RHS facilities has been observed since the inception of the project (see Figure 3).

The project met and dealt with several challenges. Health facilities were sporadically stocked with SP and mosquito nets (another component of malaria in pregnancy services). Bad roads prevented travel to field during rainy seasons. This affected distribution of malaria supplies and provision of mentorship and supervision for quality service. Clients had huge difficulty accessing health facilities.

Among the lessons learned were that close collaboration and involvement of key actors, especially MOH (National Malaria Control Program) and country health team at all levels, is an effective and efficient approach for project implementation. Regular mentorship and coaching during supportive supervision improves the quality of care provided for malaria in pregnancy. Ensuring availability of IPTp drugs and long-lasting insecticidal nets at health facilities are key to preventing malaria in pregnancy.

In conclusion the project met IPC objectives and achieved 80% Safe, Quality, Health Services score. Thus there was improved service delivery utilization.

The poster was made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), under the terms of the Cooperative Agreement AID-OAA-A-14-00028. The contents are the responsibility of the Maternal and Child Survival Program and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

One Response to “Improved IPTp Uptake: MCSP Restoration of Health Services Experience in Liberia”

  1. on 15 Apr 2018 at 10:30 pm 1.Improved IPTp Uptake: MCSP Restoration of Health Services Experience in Liberia said …

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