Clients Perspectives on the Quality of Maternal and Neonatal Care in Banke, Nepal

health and the morbidity and mortality rates related to safe motherhood remains challenging in Nepal. This study aimed to explore expectations of mothers concerning maternal and neonatal care from the local health care facilities; to find-out prevailing problems and suggestions for corrective measures for potential problems encountered. Methods and Materials: Both Qualitative and quantitative study was conducted comprising 24 mothers from three Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs), Eight Health Posts (HP) and eight Sub-Health Posts (SHP) of Banke district Nepal. The despondence was selected using the purposive sampling techniques and a thematic analysis was employed. The SPSS-16 statistical software was used to analyze the data collected in 2010. Results: The 89% of mothers were agreed that Auxiliary Nurses Midwives (ANM) having adequate maternal and neonatal knowledge and being able to properly use safe delivery kits. But less than half (29%) of the mothers had proper understanding about the primary health care outreach clinic services, similarly eight (33%) of the mothers preferred institution delivery. Mothers emphasized the importance to improve the quality of maternal and neonatal health care through the process of timely services (54%), provision of cost-effective medicines (54%), separate delivery room (71%), adequate staff, accountability of staff (58%), provision of transportation (42%), need to be responsive in their behavior (46%), and need for support from the local government (29%). Conclusion: To react to these experiences and to address these expectations, there should be effective communication system between ANMs and mothers about the service but also provision of adequate resources, establishing credibility, good monitoring, and supervision system. Health policy and guideline implementation should be enhanced also at the local service level.

Author(s): Shalik Ram Dhital, Madhu Koirala Dhita and Arja R Aro

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