COMMENTARY: Community interventions for maternal and perinatal health

Abstract

Maternal health is not simply a question of provision of good obstetric care and midwifery in district hospitals or health centres. It is a public health issue for which community interventions must be implemented. By ‘community interventions’ we mean activities which take place beyond health facilities such as skilled birth attendants attending home deliveries; outreach workers or community volunteers providing advice family planning nutritional supplements or drugs such as antibiotics or misoprostol; community health promotion such as work with women’s groups; and collaboration with traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Community interventions have the potential to improve preventive care in remote communities to reduce delays in seeking care and to support primary care services and referral systems. (excerpt)