Abstract
ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of the introduction of secondary civil registration centres on birth registrations within 60 days of birth, in Burkina Faso.MethodsThe faith-based organization Sant’Egidio supported the inauguration of secondary birth registration centres within seven health centres in Réo from July 2015 and four health centres in Godyr from February 2015, at which delivery and vaccination services were available. We calculated the number of timely registrations per 1000 population before and after the launch of the intervention in both the intervention and control municipalities. We used a logistic regression model to evaluate the probability of non-registration as a function of the health centre services used and various demographic and health characteristics, obtained through health registers data and interviews.FindingsCompared with the previous 12 months, the number of timely birth registrations in Réo and Godyr rose from 502 to 2094 (317.1%) and from 267 to 793 (197.0%) during the first 12 months of the intervention. In the two control municipalities, the numbers were unchanged. Infants whose mothers attended health centres for delivery, but did not return for vaccinations, had the lowest proportions of birth registration (69.0%; 294/426; in Réo and 70.2%; 40/57 in Godyr). Infants of mothers who were not interviewed were more likely to not having a timely birth registration (in Réo odds ratio, OR: 6.25; 95% confidence interval, CI: 4.10–9.52 and in Godyr OR: 25.64; 95% CI: 4.31–166.67).ConclusionIntroduction of secondary registration centres within health centres increased timely birth registrations.
Highlights
Civil registration records the occurrence and characteristics of vital events, providing individuals with legal proof of identity and family relationships, and protecting children from exploitation.[1,2,3,4,5,6] Having a birth registration grants legal protection and fundamental rights, especially for the most vulnerable children, such as those belonging to ethnic minorities or who have been orphaned.[7]
After the introduction of secondary registration centres, birth registrations in Réo and Godyr followed similar seasonal trends (Fig. 2); both were characterized by low points that coincided with severe weather conditions, the Harmattan wind (February) and intense rainfalls (June– July), followed by registration peaks
Compared with the number of birth registrations during the year before the start of our intervention, we observed an increase in timely registrations of more than threefold in Réo and an almost twofold increase in Godyr; no major changes were observed in the control municipalities
Summary
Civil registration records the occurrence and characteristics of vital events, providing individuals with legal proof of identity and family relationships, and protecting children from exploitation.[1,2,3,4,5,6] Having a birth registration grants legal protection and fundamental rights, especially for the most vulnerable children, such as those belonging to ethnic minorities or who have been orphaned.[7] The registration facilitates the production of vital statistics, the measurement of fertility and mortality, the monitoring of population movements,[8,9] and the development of data-driven policies and interventions.[5,6] Studies have shown that a direct correlation exists between the presence of a wellfunctioning civil registration and vital statistics system within a country and the health outcomes of its population.[8,10,11,12] Further, timely registration (defined in Burkina Faso law as within 60 days of birth) is a prerequisite for tracing and recording neonatal and infant deaths.[5,13] Civil registration is more accurate and cost–effective than other statistical sources.[14,15,16] analysis based on data from Demographic and Health Surveys or Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys[11,17,18,19] and cross-sectional studies can determine the proportion of registered individuals,[20,21,22,23,24] such surveys and studies cannot identify interventions to improve this proportion
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