Preventing antenatal stillbirths: An innovative approach for primary health care.

Background: In South Africa (SA), approximately 16 000 stillbirths occur annually. Most are classified as unexplained and occur in district hospitals. Many of these deaths may be caused by undetected foetal growth restriction.

Implementing antenatal care recommendations, South Africa.

Despite progress in reduction in maternal deaths in South Africa, deaths due to complications of hypertension in pregnancy remain high at 26 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2016. The South African health ministry modified its existing four-visit antenatal care model to align with the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2016 recommendations for the number and content of antenatal care contacts. Implementation of the eight-contact antenatal care recommendations began in April 2017, after adaptation to the national context and nationwide trainings.

Portable continuous wave Doppler ultrasound for primary healthcare in South Africa: can the EUnetHTA Core Model guide evaluation before technology adoption?

Background: This study had a threefold aim: to test the value of stakeholder involvement in HTA to reduce evidence gaps and interpret findings; and to assess a medical device by applying the EUnetHTA Core Model (CM) in South Africa and thus ultimately provide a first overview of evidence for potential widespread adoption of the technology in a primary health care (PHC) setting. Used in primary healthcare setting for obstetric use, the technology under assessment is a low-cost continuous wave Doppler ultrasound (DUS).

Methods: The scoping of the assessment was defined by involving policy makers in selecting the domains and corresponding questions relevant to the ultrasound and its use.