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

Introduction: Quality care on maternal and neonatal health care service of Nepal is remains to challenges. This study aimed to measure the structural and process aspects of the quality of maternal and neonatal care in the primary health care settings of Banke district, Nepal.

Methods and Materials: Both qualitative and quantitative (mixed method) was used in this study. Record review, observation and semi-structured interview method were applied in this study. Twenty Seven Auxiliary Nurses Midwives (ANM) working in three Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs), eight Health Posts (HPs) and Eight Sub Health Post (SHPs) of Banke district Nepal was selected by using purposive sampling and the questionnaire were applied them. The statistical analysis was done on SPSS-16. The data were collected in 2010.

Results: The 89% of ANMs had good knowledge on maternal and neonatal; 33% of ANMs had positive attitudes towards patient caring and caring of neonatal was crucial for them; 59% of ANMs provided good level maternal and neonatal care and were able to properly use safe delivery kit boxes.

Conclusions: This study found that the majority of ANMs had good knowledge and provided good level of care but only one third had positive attitudes towards their work. The governmental policy, strategies, guidelines and protocols are not fully effectively applied at working level. Delivery and neonatal care were perceived more difficult than pregnancy and post partum care.

Author(s):

Shalik R Dhital, Madhu K Dhital and Arja R Aro

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