Quality of Integrated Management of Newborn and Childhood Illness Services at Health Centers in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: The Integrated Management of Newborn and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) strategy includes both preventive and curative interventions to improve practices in health facilities, the health system and at home. The quality of these interventions has been very rarely subjected to scientific inquiry in Ethiopia. This study assessed quality of IMNCI services in health centers of Jimma, South West Ethiopia, 2014. METHODS: A facility based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2–15, 2014 in the health centers of Jimma among 411 care takers exit interview and total of 60 consultation sessions were observed using checklist and participants enrolled through convenient sampling technique. Descriptive statistics were used and factor analysis was employed to create measurement scales for satisfaction of caretakers. Factor scores were used in linear regression analyses to determine presence of statistically significant association between explanatory variables and the outcome variable at P value <0.05. RESULTS: The response rate for the exit interview was 411 (97.4%). The mean score of overall caretakers satisfaction was 63.4. Specifically 23.4%, 33.6%, and 19.2% of the respondents were dissatisfied with waiting time, amount of explanation they received about the problem or treatment, and availability of medicines, respectively. Availability of prescribed medications (95% CI: 0.577 to 0.047), receiving first dose of medication at health facility (95% CI: 0.087, 0.552), receiving laboratory services (95% CI:0.455,0.056) were among factors that significantly associated with the caretakers’ satisfaction score. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Perceived mean of caretakers’ satisfaction at the health centers of Jimma town was low as compared to national standards and long waiting time while providing services. Availability of prescribed medications, receiving first dose of medication and receiving laboratory services were factors associated with patients’ satisfaction. Respective health centers need to ensure availability of medications and supplies and professionals need to pay special attention on medical services like laboratory services, medication and decrease waiting time while providing health services.