March 18, 2016 Africa, Europe, Western Pacific, Global Publication

Barriers and enablers to integrating maternal and child health services to antenatal care in low and middle income countries

For most women in low and middle income countries (LMIC), antenatal care (ANC) plays a highly important dual role: not only does ANC provide effective interventions to reduce the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth, it can also serve as a delivery platform for other health services. Particularly in settings where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), tuberculosis (TB) and malaria is high, integrating services for these conditions with ANC can significantly expand their reach. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified integration of ANC with other health programmes as a key strategy for reducing missed opportunities for patient contact and improving maternal and child health (MCH). Evidence from the countries studied, however, suggests that in practice integrated delivery of ANC with other health services is not systematic or adequate and that opportunities for providing care for women are lost.

Several factors enable or hinder the ...

Feb. 17, 2018 Africa, Americas Publication

Operationalizing mHealth to improve patient care: a qualitative implementation science evaluation of the WelTel texting intervention in Canada and Kenya

Mobile health (mHealth) applications have proliferated across the  globe with much enthusiasm, although few have reached scale and shown public health impact. In this study, they explored how different contextual factors influenced the implementation, effectiveness and potential for scale-up of welTel, an easy-to-use and evidence-based mHealth intervention. WelTel uses two-way SMS communication to improve patient adherence to medication and engagement in care, and has been developed and tested in Canada and Kenya. 

Nov. 26, 2019 Africa Publication

Towards Integrated People-centered Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Care in Mali

The World Health Organization (WHO), through its Framework on integrated people-centred health services adopted by Member States in 2016, has called for a fundamental shift in the way health services are funded, managed, and delivered.

In Mali, the USAID Applying Science to Strengthen and Improve Systems (ASSIST) Project has been working with the Ministry of Health since 2013 to contribute to reducing maternal, neonatal, and child mortality and morbidity. As part of ASSIST’s larger partnership with WHO to contribute to the development of IPCHS in different contexts and settings to promote learning, the project proposed to conduct a pilot project in Mali to assess the promotion of people-centered approaches in clinical consultations by health providers during pregnancy and delivery at peripheral health centers.

Sept. 20, 2022 Global Publication

WHO guide for integration of perinatal mental health in maternal and child health services

Overview

Supporting good mental health can improve health outcomes, and the quality of maternal and child health services for all women can be improved by creating an environment where they feel safe to discuss any difficulties they are experiencing in a respectful and caring environment that is free from stigmatization. 

The guide for integration of perinatal mental health in maternal and child health services outlines an evidence-informed approach describing how program managers, health service administrators and policy-makers responsible of planning and managing maternal and child health services can develop and sustain high-quality, integrated mental health services for women during the perinatal period. It brings together the best available evidence to support maternal and child health providers in promoting good mental health, identifying symptoms of mental health problems and responding in a way that is adapted to their local and cultural context.