Background: Globally, more than 1,000 women die each day with 358,000 dying in a given year during pregnancy and child birth mainly due to poor access to effective interventions (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and World Bank, 2012). Most maternal and neonatal deaths in low-income countries, including Kenya, are attributable to a handful of preventable causes. Emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) is an integrated strategy that aims to equip health workers with skills, life-saving medicines, and equipment to manage the leading causes of maternal and newborn death. It is on this basis that this study was conducted to find out how the BEmONC training impacted on the reproductive health services that the people of West Pokot are receiving.
Objectives: The broad objective of the study was to assess the facility readiness to offer Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care services in west Pokot County, Kenya. following the training program that was rolled out in the year 2014, in West Pokot County, Kenya.
Methods: A methodological triangulation design was used as it incorporated elements of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Informing this decision was the Pragmatic worldview. Quantitative approach adopted a descriptive cross sectional ex post facto design of 49 randomly selected health facilities. The customized Averting Matemal Death and Disability (AMDD) tool adopted from Columbia University was used to collect quantitative data. Data was analyzed using STATA V.13. The BEmONC observation checklist, guided and in-depth interviews were used to collect qualitative data and the sample size was purposively determined when saturation of the data was attained. Data was analyzed thematically.
Results: Findings indicated that facility readiness varied significantly by designation and facility type. All facilities in the urban setting were ready to offer BEmONC services compared to only 15.8% in the rural set-up. The challenges that affected BEmONC service delivery included understaffing (92.6%), lack of supplies and equipment (63%), poor infrastructure (44.4%), ineffective transport and communication (69%), insecurity (42.9%) and insufficient water supply.
Conclusion: Facilities in the urban setting were ready to offer BEmONC services unlike in the many facilities from the rural set-up. Key items lacked in many facilities and relatively few had all the required commodities and equipment to provide BEmONC.
Recommendations: This study recommends advocating for a complete BEmONC system by: Availing all the essential equipment, drugs and supplies; Improving strategies to sustain knowledge and competencies of the providers as well as maintain equipment and supplies for use to avoid wear and tear and improving supply chain management for essential commodities at the peripheral facilities.
View full abstract