An analysis of the quality of maternity services in Nampula, Mozambique: implementation research

INTRODUCTION: the quality of maternity services is an essential factor in reducing maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, which remains extremely high in Africa. In Mozambique, maternal mortality rate is 451.6 deaths per 100,000 live births (2017). The reasons for this are complex, but one important factor to reduce this burden is to provide effective and efficient care, to improve institutional deliveries. To reduce maternal and newborn mortality rates in Nampula, researchers from Lúrio University and the University of Saskatchewan, carried out an implementation research program, including various interventions such as training activities for health professionals in maternal and child health care. We planned a mid-project evaluation, to assess the trainings´ impact on the quality of services at Marrere Hospital Maternity. METHODS: quantitative pre-post study, carrying out two cross-sectional surveys about maternity service quality, one being conducted after five health professionals´ trainings and the other after six more trainings. The two surveys included samples of post-partum women in the maternity, calculated with a 10% margin error and 90% confidence interval for the first survey, and with a 7% margin error and 95% confidence interval for the second. The surveys were entered into REDCap and analysed to assess frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviations. This research was approved by the Institutional Committees of Bioethics at Lúrio University and at the University of Saskatchewan. RESULTS: one hundred and sixteen post-partum women were surveyed at the maternity, assessing standards of patient centred care during delivery labour. Most areas showed no improvement. Some positive improvements were delivering women were given the option to have a person of their choice accompany them during labour (75%), notably a traditional birth attendant (34%), and they had continuous support from a health professional (68%). But many shortcomings persisted in areas of privacy (33%) and confidentiality (57%). CONCLUSION: the quality of patient centred care at Marrere Hospital Maternity did not improve much with health professionals´ trainings. Decreasing the large turnover rate of such staff, reviewing their learning styles, and promoting continuous professional capacity building would be the next steps to improve quality of care.