Implementation research to increase treatment coverage of possible serious bacterial infections in young infants when a referral is not feasible: lessons learnt.

Background: The objective was to achieve high coverage of possible serious bacterial infections (PSBI) treatment using the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline for managing it on an outpatient basis when referral to a hospital is not feasible.

Methods: We implemented this guideline in the programme settings at 10 Basic Health Units (BHU) in two rural districts of Sindh in Pakistan using implementation research. A Technical Support Unit supported the programme to operationalize guidelines, built capacity of health workers through training, monitored their clinical skills, mentored them and assured quality.

Lowering hospital walls to achieve health equity.

Hospitals have a pivotal role in reducing health inequities for indigenous people and other marginalised groups, argue

The Role of Quality Health Services and Discussion about Birth Spacing in Postpartum Contraceptive Use in Sindh, Pakistan: A Multilevel Analysis.

Introduction: Rapid population growth, stagnant contraceptive prevalence, and high unmet need for family planning present significant challenges for meeting Pakistan's national and international development goals. Although health behaviors are shaped by multiple social and environmental factors, research on contraceptive uptake in Pakistan has focused on individual and household determinants, and little attention has been given to community characteristics that may affect access to services and reproductive behavior.

Methods: Individual and community determinants of contraceptive use were identified using multivariable multilevel logistic regression to analyze data from a 2014 cross-sectional survey of 6,200 mothers in 503 communities in Sindh, Pakistan.