Use of a Facilitated Group Process to Design and Implement a Group Antenatal and Postnatal Care Program in Rwanda

INTRODUCTION: The government of Rwanda is exploring strategies that may reduce the incidence of prematurity and low birth weight. Large‐scale implementation of group antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) within the context of the Rwanda national health care system is under consideration. To launch a cluster randomized controlled trial of group ANC and PNC in 5 districts in Rwanda, the implementation team needed a customized group care model for this context and trained health care workers to deliver the program. PROCESS: Adapting the group ANC and group PNC model for the Rwandan context was accomplished through a group process identical to that which is fundamental to group care. A technical working group composed of 10 Rwandan maternal‐child health stakeholders met 3 times over the course of 3 months, for 4 to 8 hours each time. Their objectives were to consider the evidence on group ANC, agree on the priorities and constraints of their ANC delivery system, and ultimately define the content and structure of a combined group ANC and PNC model for implementation in Rwanda. The same group process was employed to train health care workers to act as group ANC facilitators. OUTCOMES: A customized group ANC and PNC model and guidelines for its introduction were developed in the context of a cluster randomized controlled trial in 36 health centers. Descriptions of this model and the implementation plan are included in this article. DISCUSSION: Our experience suggests that the group process fundamental to successful group ANC and PNC is an effective method to customize and implement this innovative health services delivery model in a new context and is instrumental in achieving local ownership.