Improved Access for Early Postnatal Care Visits in Rural Settings

In rural communities, early postnatal care (PNC) is only 4% (baseline).  A collaborative quality improvement (QI) approach has been introduced to improve the identification of pregnant women and increase the number of PNC visits.  Quality improvement teams are established and trained in each kebele; each team tests different ideas using the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle for notifying labor/birth and ensuring a postnatal visit within two days after birth. Across 51 teams, common strategies for notification included sending a family member, Community Health Development Agent or using a mobile phone.  A strong link of families, trained community groups and HEWs was built at community level to support women and improve PNC visits.

Results from November 2010-August 2011 showed that:

• Based on expected births, 36.4%, or 3,484 of cases were notified to HEWs during labor or birth and 32.5%, or 3,115 women and babies, have received postnatal care within 2 days.