An evaluation of the effectiveness of an updated pre-service midwifery curriculum integrated with emergency obstetric and newborn care in Kenya: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Quality midwifery education is central to improving midwifery service delivery and maternal and newborn health outcomes. In many settings, midwifery educators insufficiently prepared for their teaching role and deficient curriculum compared to international standards affect the quality of healthcare provided by the midwifery graduates. This study assessed the effectiveness of an EmONC enhanced midwifery curriculum delivered by trained and mentored midwifery educators on the quality of education and student performance in Kenya.

Experiences, barriers and perspectives of midwifery educators, mentors and students implementing the updated emergency obstetric and newborn care-enhanced pre-service midwifery curriculum in Kenya: a nested qualitative study.

Introduction: To achieve quality midwifery education, understanding the experiences of midwifery educators and students in implementing a competency-based pre-service curriculum is critical. This study explored the experiences of and barriers to implementing a pre-service curriculum updated with emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) skills by midwifery educators, students and mentors in Kenya.

Methods: This was a nested qualitative study within the cluster randomised controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of an EmONC enhanced midwifery curriculum delivered by trained and mentored midwifery educators on the quality of education and student performance in 20 colleges in Kenya.

Evaluation of the feasibility of a midwifery educator continuous professional development (CPD) programme in Kenya and Nigeria: a mixed methods study.

Background: Midwifery education is under-invested in developing countries with limited opportunities for midwifery educators to improve/maintain their core professional competencies. To improve the quality of midwifery education and capacity for educators to update their competencies, a blended midwifery educator-specific continuous professional development (CPD) programme was designed with key stakeholders. This study evaluated the feasibility of this programme in Kenya and Nigeria.

Improving midwifery educators' capacity to teach emergency obstetrics and newborn care in Kenya universities: a pre-post study.

Background: International Confederation of Midwives and World Health Organization recommend core competencies for midwifery educators for effective theory and practical teaching and practice. Deficient curricula and lack of skilled midwifery educators are important factors affecting the quality of graduates from midwifery programmes. The objective of the study was to assess the capacity of university midwifery educators to deliver the updated competency-based curriculum after the capacity strengthening workshop in Kenya.

The determinants of staff retention after Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care training in Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Kenya's maternal mortality ratio is relatively high at 342/100,000 live births. Confidential enquiry into maternal deaths showed that 90% of the maternal deaths received substandard care with health workforce related factors identified in 75% of 2015/2016 maternal deaths. Competent Skilled Health Personnel (SHP) providing emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) in an enabling environment reduces the risk of adverse maternal and newborn outcomes.

Prevalence and factors associated with caesarean section in Rwanda: a trend analysis of Rwanda demographic and health survey 2000 to 2019-20.

Background: Caesarean section (CS) is an important medical intervention for reducing the risk of poor perinatal outcomes. However, CS trends in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continue to increase yet maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity remain high. Rwanda, like many other countries in SSA, has shown an increasing trend in the use of CS.

Early indirect impact of COVID-19 pandemic on utilisation and outcomes of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services in Kenya: A cross-sectional study.

The paper determined the initial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services in Kenya. Hospital data for the first four months (March-June 2020) of the pandemic and the equivalent period in 2019 were compared using two-sample test of proportions. Despite the global projections for worse indicators, there were no differences in monthly mean ( SD) attendance between March-June 2019 vs 2020 for antenatal care (400,191.

Educators' perceptions of the early impact of COVID-19 on midwifery training in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: This paper presents a descriptive analysis of the perceptions of Kenyan midwifery educators regarding the early impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the continuity of midwifery education.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 51 midwifery/clinical medicine educators from 35 diploma training colleges from all eight regions of Kenya. Educators' concerns and satisfaction regarding the delivery of training during the early phases of the pandemic were expressed as proportions on a three-point Likert scale.

The effect of the community midwifery model on maternal and newborn health service utilization and outcomes in Busia County of Kenya: a quasi-experimental study.

Background: Poor women in hard-to-reach areas are least likely to receive healthcare and thus carry the burden of maternal and perinatal mortality from complications of childbirth. This study evaluated the effect of an enhanced community midwifery model on skilled attendance during pregnancy/childbirth as well as on maternal and perinatal outcomes against the backdrop of protracted healthcare workers' strikes in rural Kenya.

Methods: The study used a quasi-experimental (one-group pretest-posttest) design.

Reducing intrapartum fetal deaths through low-dose high frequency clinical mentorship in a rural hospital in Western Kenya: a quasi-experimental study.

Background: Intrapartum fetal mortality can be prevented by quality emergency obstetrics and newborn care (EmONC) during pregnancy and childbirth. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a low-dose high-frequency onsite clinical mentorship in EmONC on the overall reduction in intrapartum fetal deaths in a busy hospital providing midwife-led maternity services in rural Kenya.

Methods: A quasi-experimental (nonequivalent control group pretest - posttest) design in a midwife-led maternity care hospitals.

Door - to - door immunization strategy for improving access and utilization of immunization Services in Hard-to-Reach Areas: a case of Migori County, Kenya.

Background: Access to quality essential healthcare services and vaccines for all is key to achieving universal health coverage. Inequities driven by differences in place of residence and socio-economic status persist among different communities hindering the achievement of sustained performance on immunization indicators. Innovative community-based Reach Every Child (REC) interventions at the sub-county and county level can reduce these local inequities.

Practice and outcomes of neonatal resuscitation for newborns with birth asphyxia at Kakamega County General Hospital, Kenya: a direct observation study.

Background: About three - quarters of all neonatal deaths occur during the first week of life, with over half of these occurring within the first 24 h after birth. The first minutes after birth are critical to reducing neonatal mortality. Successful neonatal resuscitation (NR) has the potential to prevent these perinatal mortalities related to birth asphyxia.

Quality of Care during Neonatal Resuscitation in Kakamega County General Hospital, Kenya: A Direct Observation Study.

Background: Birth asphyxia is the leading cause of neonatal mortality in Kenya. Quality care during neonatal resuscitation (NR) can contribute to a reduction in neonatal mortality related to birth asphyxia by 30 percent. This study assessed the quality of care (QoC) during NR for newborns with birth asphyxia.