| Title |
Healthcare service providers’ and facility administrators’ perspectives of the free maternal healthcare services policy in Malindi District, Kenya: a qualitative study
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Reproductive Health, June 2015
|
| DOI | 10.1186/s12978-015-0048-1 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Evaline Lang’at, Lillian Mwanri |
| Abstract |
Globally, there are increasing efforts to improve maternal health outcomes including the reduction in maternal mortality rates. Improved access to skilled care utilisation during pregnancy and delivery has been one of the strategies employed to improve maternal health outcomes. In Kenya, more than half of the women deliver without the assistance of a skilled attendant and this has contributed to high maternal mortality rates. The free maternal healthcare services policy in all public facilities was initiated as a strategy to improve access to skilled care and reduce poor maternal health outcomes. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of the service providers and facility administrators of the free maternal health care service policy that was introduced in Kenya in 2013. A qualitative inquiry using semi-structured one-on-one interviews was conducted in Malindi District, Kenya. The participants included maternal health service providers and facility administrators recruited from five different healthcare facilities. Data were analysed using a thematic framework analysis. Free maternal healthcare service provision was perceived to boost skilled care utilisation during pregnancy and delivery. However, challenges including; delays in the reimbursement of funds by the government to the facilities, stock outs of essential commodities in the facilities to facilitate service provision, increased workload amidst staff shortage and lack of consultation and sensitisation of key stakeholders were perceived as barriers to effective implementation of this policy. Free maternal healthcare services can be one of the strategies to improve a range of maternal health outcomes. However, the implementation of this policy would be more effective if; the healthcare facilities were upgraded, equipped with adequate supplies, funds and staff; the community are continually sensitized on the importance of seeking skilled care during pregnancy and delivery; and inclusivity and collaboration with other key stakeholders be fostered in addressing poor maternal health outcomes in the country. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 2 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 2 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 1 | 50% |
| Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 50% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 194 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Kenya | 2 | 1% |
| Unknown | 192 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Master | 52 | 27% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 23 | 12% |
| Researcher | 19 | 10% |
| Student > Bachelor | 13 | 7% |
| Student > Postgraduate | 11 | 6% |
| Other | 27 | 14% |
| Unknown | 49 | 25% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 48 | 25% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 43 | 22% |
| Social Sciences | 19 | 10% |
| Economics, Econometrics and Finance | 6 | 3% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 5 | 3% |
| Other | 23 | 12% |
| Unknown | 50 | 26% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 2. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 21 July 2015.
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#15,160,034
of 23,316,003 outputs
Outputs from Reproductive Health
#1,093
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#146,259
of 264,311 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Reproductive Health
#25
of 31 outputs
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