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Changing the role of the traditional birth attendant in Somaliland

Pyone, Thidar ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1064-4355, Adaji, Sunday, Madaj, Barbara ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4073-3191, Woldetsadik, Tadesse and Van Den Broek, Nynke ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8523-2684 (2014) 'Changing the role of the traditional birth attendant in Somaliland'. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Vol 127, Issue 1, pp. 41-46.

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Abstract

Objective
To explore the feasibility of changing the role of the traditional birth attendant (TBA) to act as birth companion and promoter of skilled birth attendance.

Methods
Between 2008 and 2012, 75 TBAs received 3 days of training and were paid US $5 for each patient brought to any of five healthcare facilities in Maroodi Jeex, Somaliland. Health facilities were upgraded (infrastructure, drugs and equipment, staff training, and incentivization). Eight key informant interviews (KIIs) and 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 32 TBAs and 32 mothers were conducted. A framework approach was used for analysis.

Results
TBAs adopted their new role easily; instead of conducting home births and referring women to a facility only at onset of complications, they accompanied or referred mothers to a nearby facility for delivery, prenatal care, or postnatal care. Both TBAs and mothers accepted this new role, resulting in increased deliveries at health facilities. Facilitating factors included the creation of an enabling environment at the health facility, acceptance of the TBA by health facility staff, and monetary incentivization.

Conclusion
Changing the role of the TBA to support facility-based delivery is feasible and acceptable. Further research is needed to see whether this is replicable and can be scaled-up.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: WA Public Health > WA 18 Education
WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 310 Maternal welfare
WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries
WA Public Health > Health Administration and Organization > WA 590 Health education, Health communication
WQ Obstetrics > Childbirth. Prenatal Care > WQ 160 Midwifery
WY Nursing > WY 157.3 Maternal-child nursing. Neonatal nursing. Perinatal nursing
Faculty: Department: Clinical Sciences & International Health > International Public Health Department
Digital Object Identifer (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgo.2014.04.009
Depositing User: Martin Chapman
Date Deposited: 02 Sep 2014 14:44
Last Modified: 06 Feb 2018 13:07
URI: https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/3790

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