Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

A Cross Sectional Comparison Of Postnatal Care Quality In Facilities Participating In A Maternal Health Voucher Program Versus Non-Voucher Facilities In Kenya, Charlotte E. Warren, Timothy Abuya, Lucy Kanya, Francis Obare, Rebecca Njuki, Marleen Temmerman, Ben Bellows

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Background: Health service fees constitute substantial barriers for women seeking childbirth and postnatal care. In an effort to reduce health inequities, the government of Kenya in 2006 introduced the output-based approach (OBA), or voucher programme, to increase poor women’s access to quality Safe Motherhood services including postnatal care. To help improve service quality, OBA programmes purchase services on behalf of the poor and marginalised, with provider reimbursements for verified services. Kenya’s programme accredited health facilities in three districts as well as in two informal Nairobi settlements.

Methods: Postnatal care quality in voucher health facilities (n = 21) accredited in 2006 …

Quality At The Centre Of Universal Health Coverage, Howard L. Sobel, Dale Huntington, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The last decade of the MDG era witnessed substantial focus on reaching the bottom economic quintiles in low and middle income countries. However, the inordinate focus on reducing financial risk burden and increasing coverage without sufficient focus on expanding quality of services may account for slow progress of the MDGs in many countries. Human Resources for Health underlie quality and service delivery improvements, yet remains under-addressed in many national strategies to achieve Universal Health Coverage. Without adequate investments in improving and expanding health professional education, making and sustaining gains will be unlikely. The transition from the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) …