HEALTH FACILITIES’ READINESS TO PROVIDE KANGAROO MOTHER CARE (KMC) SERVICE IN TIGRAI REGION, NORTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Health care facility expansion in Ethiopia has improved physical access to health services, including new-born care. However, the coverage of KMC in health facilities is limited.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the readiness of health facilities (hospitals and health centers) for initiation of facility-based KMC service in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.
Methods: A facility based cross-sectional study design was used. All 66 health facilities (hospitals and health centers) from 5 zones in Tigrai region were included in the study. Facilities were assessed using checklist, key-informant interviews, record review and observation. The service provision assessment tools and WHO service availability and readiness domains were used to generate indicators for KMC service readiness. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS version 20.
Result: All hospitals and 27% of health centers reported providing KMC. Only 29% of the health centers, 33% of hospitals and 66% of primary hospitals fulfilled the minimum WHO criteria for readiness (Staff, space for KMC and functional weighing scale). But it was also found that with the use of postnatal rooms as space for KMC, the practice can be expanded to all health facilities.
Conclusion: There is an opportunity for cascade services to be rolled out to lower-level health facilities, allowing services to be provided closer to home for many families.