Competence and Performance of the Skilled Birth Attendants to undertake Normal Delivery and Emergency Obstetric Care in Eritrea.

Abstract

Objective: to determine the competence and performance of the skilled birth attendants and the quality of normal delivery and emergency obstetric services in Eritrea. Methods: All of the 17 hospitals that provide maternity services and all of the 46 health centers in the country were included in this study. Quality or Quality gap was assessed through measuring the percentage of clients who got a service in compliance with the standards described in the national safe motherhood protocol. Findings: The study revealed gaps in the competence and performance of the skilled health workers as well as in the quality of normal delivery and emergency obstetric services in the country. Among the quality gaps identified were poor monitoring of normal and complicated labor and lack of use of partographs. Conclusion: The study concluded that in order to reduce maternal morality in developing countries like Eritrea; it is not adequate to just increase the percentage of women who are attended by health professionals, it is also at least equally important to improve the skills and performance of the available birth attendants.