ACHIEVING RESPECTFUL CARE THROUGH BUILDING CAPACITY OF HEALTH WORKERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS

STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION Background Description of the Intervention Successes Lessons learnt Recommendations

ISSUES ADDRESSED Preventable maternal deaths unacceptably high in area; 398/100,000(National), 139/100,000 (Copperbelt Province) Factors contributing; poor quality of services due to inadequate skills, and disrespectful, non-responsive care especially during labour and delivery

Closing the gap project is implemented in Kitwe and Ndola Districts, Copper belt Province Main goal is to contribute to the reduction of preventable maternal deaths Implemented in twenty (20) Health facilities; 2 being referral and training centres

DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERVENTION Building the capacity of skilled birth attendants (SBA) and Community Health Workers (CHWs) to deliver Respectful Maternity Care ( RMC) Done through training/mentorship/ support supervision Enhancing collaboration and mutual accountability between the communities and formal Health sector; joint meetings Supportive supervision and mentorship was conducted on quarterly joint meetings between CHWs and Health Facility staff to promote mutual accountability in the Health service delivery

Baseline was done Reviewed late ANC booking and home deliveries, due to history, perception of disrespect and abuse during child birth

SUCCESSES/RESULTS 400 Skilled Birth Attendants ( Kitwe/Ndola) have been trained in Respectful Maternity Care ( RMC) 160 CHWs trained in Respectful Maternity Care Maternal mortality has dropped from 78 in 2017 to 53 in 2018 Health care workers report being confident and capable of delivering RMC Community health workers are raising awareness of RMC

SUCCESSES/RESULTS

SUCCESSES/RESULTS “During my pre- service training, I never heard of the term Respectful Maternity Care. After receiving the training in RMC, I feel more Confident to attend to MCH clients bearing in mind that I Have to uphold RMC principles of Woman friendly care at all times” says Daisy Bwalya a 26 Year old Midwife of Kitwe, Zambia who has been practicing midwifery for 6 years. ULTS SUCCESSES/RESULS

SUCCESSES/RESULTS “Before I underwent training in Respectful Maternity Care, I had no idea about Universal Child Bearing Rights . Now that I am trained in these rights, I have become a better midwife. Management has recognized my style of care and I have been encouraged to mentor my colleagues so as for RMC to be practiced by all nurses and midwives at my facility.” Says Matthews Chipoya a Midwife at Chimwemwe clinic in Kitwe, Zambia ULTS SUCCESSES/RESULS

SUCCESSES/RESULTS “ I delivered all my 3 babies from the health facility but my experience 6 weeks ago was best in the sense that I received warm and friendly care at the health facility. Through out pregnancy, a Community health volunteer visited me regularly to encourage me and educate me on issues related to my pregnancy and care of the newborn” says Gertrude Kapopo a Post natal mother of Twatasha compound in Kitwe ULTS SUCCESSES/RESULS

LESSONS LEARNT/RECOMMENDATIONS Poor understanding of the need for RMC by the health workers and the community members is a key driver to disrespect and Abuse during Child birth. Awareness raising and skills building are crucial to promoting RMC Advocating for Institutionalization of RMC Need for more SBAs & CHWs to be oriented in RMC Integration of RMC component in Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (EmONC) Curriculum to be advocated for