Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of community stakeholders on reporting community maternal deaths to relevant authorities in Mangochi District of Malawi. The study employed qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology approach to data collection, analysis and interpretation. It was conducted in three health zones of Mangochi district which are Monkey-bay, Mangochi boma and Namwera zones. Purposive sampling was used to select major community stakeholders on issues of safe motherhood and these were; Village heads, Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs), safe motherhood volunteers and members of village health committees (VHCs). A total of eighteen in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions were conducted. Descriptive statistics were computed for the demographic variables and the qualitative data were analysed using modified Colaizzi (1978) method based on Heideggerian and Gademerian philosophy. Findings showed that community maternal deaths were not always reported because there were no records in the district. Most participants lacked knowledge on the process and their role in reporting community maternal deaths despite knowing the importance of reporting such deaths. However, findings indicated a positive perception of participants towards reporting community maternal deaths to authorities. The study recommends that health education be offered to community members and Health Surveillance Assistants regarding reporting maternal deaths to improve the situation.
Highlights
Childbirth is meant to be a universally celebrated event and an occasion for cheerful making
More than half of the maternal deaths occur in the sub-Saharan Africa region followed by South Asia which account for 86% of global maternal deaths
In spite of some knowledge of the importance of reporting community maternal deaths and consequences of not reporting community maternal deaths, the findings show that majority of the participants were not aware of their role in reporting community maternal death
Summary
Childbirth is meant to be a universally celebrated event and an occasion for cheerful making. For many thousands of women each day, child bearing is experienced not as the joyful event, but as unpleasant hell that may end in death [1]. Worldwide 536,000 women die each year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth [2]. Ninety nine percent of these deaths occur in developing countries. More than half of the maternal deaths occur in the sub-Saharan Africa region followed by South Asia which account for 86% of global maternal deaths. Maternal mortality ratio is highest in developing regions at 240 per 100,000 births versus 16 per 100,000 in developed countries [3]
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