Abstract
The world is making significant progress in reducing the number of women and children dying from preventable causes. Bangladesh is also on track. The objective of this study was to strengthen maternal and child health service delivery in Kapasia and Sreepur Upazila of Gazipur district using SARA tool. The present assessment was a cross-sectional quantitative assessment. This evaluation was performed between January 2015 and December 2015. A sample of 50 health facilities was randomly evaluated. Sixty-two percent of all facilities (n = 50) in the study area were ready to provide general services such as basic services, basic equipment, standard precautions for infection prevention and diagnostic capacity, and essential medicines for patients. The family planning readiness score was 84%, but the antenatal service readiness score was 53% (n = 36). The basic preparation score for emergency obstetric care was 66% among facilities providing delivery services (n = 16). It should be noted that no health center had all the items available for basic obstetric care. Among all health facilities (n = 50), only 28% of health facilities had a full obstetric care service. The child immunization readiness score for Kapasia and Sreepur was 82%; however, only 4% of the facilities had all the trace elements available for child immunization services (n = 36). The total availability of services and the availability of health facilities to provide maternal and child health services did not reach the level necessary to meet future goals. Problems were identified and should be addressed accordingly. A large-scale census survey of all facilities in the study area would provide a better understanding of service availability and readiness. Key words: Service availability, service readiness, maternal and child health services, Bangladesh health system, SARA tool.
Highlights
IntroductionIn 2015, there were about 45% of deaths among children under five during their first month of life around the world
For the facility readiness assessment, the 73% basic service domain score indicates that approximately twothirds of the facilities in the study area had basic amenities including adequate sanitation facilities, privacy room, source of improved water, and 64% had a computer with internet, only 40% (2 Upazila Health Complex (UHC), 4 Union Sub-centers (USC) and 14 Private Hospitals) had an adequate power source to use them correctly
At the same time, people in the community were aware of the available services related to maternal and child health services
Summary
In 2015, there were about 45% of deaths among children under five during their first month of life around the world. 17,000 fewer children die every day from 1990, but still, more than six million children die before their fifth birthday each year. Four out of five deaths among children under five occur in these areas. Almost twice as likely to die before their fifth birthday as children of wealthier families. Children of mothers, including educated mothers with only primary education, are more likely to survive than children of uneducated mothers (Health-United Nations Sustainable Development, 2017)
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