Improvement and retention of emergency obstetrics and neonatal care knowledge and skills in a hospital mentorship program in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Objective: To evaluate whether a hospital-based mentoring program could significantly increase short- and longer-term emergency obstetrics and neonatal care (EmONC) knowledge and skills among health providers.

Methods: In a prospective before-and-after study, 20 mentors were trained using a specially-created EmONC mentoring and training program at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. The mentors then trained an additional 114 providers as mentees in the curriculum.