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- Title
Perceptions of health care workers on the implementation of accountability mechanisms for quality improvement in maternal health care in Mkuranga Tanzania.
- Authors
August, Francis
- Abstract
Background: Globally, 302,000 maternal deaths occur annually; more threatening is that 99% of them happen in low and middle-income countries, including Tanzania. There has been insufficient progress in improving maternal and new-born health; despite an investment of resources to enhance the quality of maternal health in training and deploying human resources for health, construction of health facilities, and medical products. However, fewer efforts are invested in enhancing Accountability towards improving the quality of maternal health care. Objective: To explore the perceptions of healthcare workers regarding accountability mechanisms for enhancing quality improvement in the delivery of maternal new-born and child health services in Tanzania. Methods: The study adopted a qualitative approach, whereas phenomenology was used as a study design to understand how health workers perceive Accountability data were collected using semi-structured interviews, and we used thematic analysis to analyse themes and sub-themes. Results: Findings showed differences in the conceptualization of accountability and accountability mechanisms among the participants; some view it as adherence to ethics and procedures. We highlighted several tools for enhancing quality improvement in the delivery of maternal health services; clinical meetings, tracking attendance, maternal audits, ward, and rounds. Health care workers perceived accountability mechanisms as useful for inculcating the spirit of hardworking in the delivery of maternal health services. However, without solving health systems bottlenecks like the inadequate supply of medical equipment and insufficient human resource for health, it will be difficult to enforce accountability mechanisms. Conclusion: Perceived variations in the understanding of Accountability among healthcare workers signalled a proper but fragmented understanding of Accountability in maternal care.
- Subjects
TANZANIA; MEDICAL personnel; MATERNAL health services; MEDICAL quality control; HEALTH facilities; MEDICAL care accountability; MEDICAL audit; MEDICAL supplies
- Publication
Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 2022, Vol 23, p60
- ISSN
1821-6404
- Publication type
Article