Benefit-risk analysis of maintaining essential Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) services against risk of COVID-19 infection.

With the COVID-19 pandemic spreading across the world, its disruptive effect on the provision and utilization of non- COVID related health services have become well-documented. As countries developed mitigation strategies to help continue the delivery of essential health services through the pandemic, they needed to carefully weigh the benefits and risks of pursuing these strategies. In an attempt to assist countries in their mitigation efforts, a Benefit-Risk model was designed to provide guidance on how to compare the health benefits of sustained essential reproductive, maternal, newborn and child (RMNCH) services against the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infections incurred by the countries' populations when accessing these services.

Where is the 'C' in antenatal care and postnatal care: A multi-country survey of availability of antenatal and postnatal care in low- and middle-income settings.

Objective: Antenatal (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) are logical entry points for prevention and treatment of pregnancy-related illness and to reduce perinatal mortality. We developed signal functions and assessed availability of the essential components of care.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Progress and inequities in maternal mortality in Afghanistan (RAMOS-II): a retrospective observational study.

Background: The risk of maternal death in Afghanistan is among the highest in the world; however, the risks within the country are poorly understood. Subnational maternal mortality estimates are needed along with a broader understanding of determinants to guide future maternal health programmes. Here we aimed to study maternal mortality risk and causes, care-seeking patterns, and costs within the country.

'Midwives are the backbone of our health system': lessons from Afghanistan to guide expansion of midwifery in challenging settings.

Background: over the last decade Afghanistan has made large investments in scaling up the number of midwives to address access to skilled care and the high burden of maternal and newborn mortality.

Objective: at the request of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) an evaluation was undertaken to improve the pre-service midwifery education programme through identification of its strengths and weaknesses. The qualitative component of the evaluation specifically examined: (1) programme strengths; (2) programme weaknesses; (3) perceptions of the programme's community impact; (4) barriers to provision of care and challenges to impact; (5) perceptions of the recently graduated midwife's field experience, and (6) recommendations for programme improvement.

Afghanistan's national strategy for improving quality in health care.

Quality Problem Or Issue: When the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan began reconstructing the health system in 2003, it faced serious challenges. Decades of war had severely damaged the health infrastructure and the country's ability to deliver health services.

Initial Assessment: A national health resources assessment in 2002 revealed huge structural and resource disparities fundamental to improving health care.

Establishment of an accreditation system for midwifery education in Afghanistan: maintaining quality during national expansion.

Objective: To establish a mechanism for ensuring and regulating quality of pre-service midwifery education in Afghanistan during a period of intense expansion.

Study Design: Case study of public health practice in health workforce development.

Methods: Afghanistan's high maternal mortality is due, in part, to a lack of competent skilled midwives.