Assi

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCE

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Reproductive Health Assignment
Name- Eden Tesfaye

ID- 0895/13
Submitted to- Mr.Jemal Y.

Submission date- 23/04/2024
The Role of Community-Based Primary Care intervention in improving
Maternal health
The term ‘community-based care’ has a wide range of meanings, it ranges from the
provision of skilled therapy services within a client’s own home or community, with
the requirement that the practitioner take into consideration the lifestyle of the
client and the cultural and social characteristics of the client’s community.
Community-based care can serve as a valuable programme in the provision of

essential maternal and newborn care, specifically in communities in low-income
countries like Ethiopia and it is generally provided by skilled birth attendants, WHO
defined a skilled attendant as an accredited health professional – such as a midwife,
doctor or nurse – who has been educated and trained to proficiency in the skills
needed to manage normal (uncomplicated) pregnancies, childbirth and the
immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management and referral of
complications in women and newborns. A study conducted outlines the common
causes of obstetric deaths in Ethiopia, indicating that these causes are, among other
things, related to shortages of midwives, poor referral systems at primary health care
level coupled with inadequate basic emergency care for both mothers and their
newborn babies. This is also aggravated by under financing of the services of skilled
birth attendants.
There are 3 essentials in the community based care which can attribute to it
1. Community participation and mobilization: Community members assess their

own health needs and develop and monitor their own solutions to identified
problems. Community-based care normally coincides with a high degree of
community participation because the onus is on communities to care for their
own in addressing the problems at hand. This is also applicable in respect of
maternal and newborn care services, where community members can be
involved in helping each other regarding these services and identifying skilled
birth attendants in their communities.
2. Provision of home community-level skilled care: Interventions are available
where and when they are most needed to significantly save lives in that maternal
and newborn care is provided in communities using available resources, which is
cost-effective.
1
3. Linkages of health services: Women and their newborns must receive lifesaving
care as soon as complications happen, during referral and at appropriately
equipped health facilities. These connections must be established and evaluated
over time as the situation changes. Community-based care allows maternal and
newborn care to connect with skilled birth attendants and other persons in their
community who are responsible for rendering such care. Community-based care
in the context of preventing maternal and newborn mortality is, therefore,
defined as home or community-level skilled care provided by the community, for
the community, with linkages to health facilities to avoid all forms of delay.
Among the role of community-based primary care intervention in improving

maternal health, it promotes:
 Education of women on prevailing health problem and the method of preventing

and controlling them: These interventions often include health education
programs aimed at raising awareness about maternal health issues, including the
importance of antenatal care visits, proper nutrition during pregnancy, birth
preparedness, and recognizing danger signs during pregnancy and childbirth. In
Ethiopia, where maternal mortality rates are relatively high, increasing awareness
about the importance of maternal health care utilization can significantly reduce
maternal deaths.
 Early detection and Management: Through regular antenatal visits conducted at

the community level, health care workers can detect and manage complications
early, thereby preventing adverse maternal outcomes. This includes identifying
conditions such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, anemia, or infections,
and providing appropriate treatment or referral to higher-level facilities when
necessary.
 Maternal and child health care including family planning and immunization.
 Appropriate treatment of common disease
 Provision of essential drug
 Promotion of proper nutrition, basic sanitation and safe water
 The number of deliveries assisted by skilled birth attendants will increase- When
communities are made aware of the knowledge and the skills that have skilled
birth attendant acquired, the number of deliveries they assist with will increase.
2
 Teamwork will be promoted
 The community will be empowered
Community-based primary care interventions play a major role in improving maternal

health outcomes by addressing socio-economic, cultural, and geographical barriers to
health care access, promoting preventive care, and empowering women to take charge
of their own health and well-being during pregnancy and childbirth so the provision of
good maternal and newborn care to all clients is a crucial aspect in provision of maternal
and newborn services. In order for low-income countries to promote maternal and
newborn health, community-based care services are the best option to follow.
Non-communicable disease (NCD) that affect maternal health
NCDs, often referred to as chronic illnesses, are non-transmissible diseases that may
be caused by genetic or behavioral factors, and generally have a slow progression
and long duration. Indirect maternal deaths are a consequence of ‘previous existing
disease or disease that developed during pregnancy and not due to direct obstetric
causes, but aggravated by physiologic effects of pregnancy. They make up almost
one-third of all maternal deaths and can be due to NCDs, or communicable diseases.
Those that most significantly affect pregnancy are:
 Cardiovascular disease
 Hypertension
 Diabetes
 Cancer
 Mental health disorders
 Thyroid disease
 HIV among pregnant women
 Malaria
 Malnutrition
Non-communicable diseases are too often unseen, undiagnosed, and untreated in

women around the world. The consequences of this are catastrophic so there must
be systemic approach to improve maternal health.
3
Reference
1, Ministry of Health (MoH) [Ethiopia] , 2010, Health Sector Development Program (HSDP)
synthesis report of 2005/2006–2008/2009, MoH, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2, World Health Organization. Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2015. Estimates by

WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank and the United Nations Population Division. World
Health Organization Report, Geneva, Switzerland, 2015.

Assi

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Assi

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Assi

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL SCIENCE

Reproductive Health Assignment

Name- Eden Tesfaye

Submitted to- Mr.Jemal Y.

Community-based care can serve as a valuable programme in the provision of

1. Community participation and mobilization: Community members assess their

Among the role of community-based primary care intervention in improving

 Education of women on prevailing health problem and the method of preventing

 Early detection and Management: Through regular antenatal visits conducted at

 Appropriate treatment of common disease

 Provision of essential drug

 Promotion of proper nutrition, basic sanitation and safe water

 The community will be empowered

Community-based primary care interventions play a major role in improving maternal

Non-communicable disease (NCD) that affect maternal health

Those that most significantly affect pregnancy are:

Non-communicable diseases are too often unseen, undiagnosed, and untreated in

2, World Health Organization. Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2015. Estimates by

You might also like