Health facility-based data on women receiving sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine during pregnancy in Tanzania: lessons to learn from a cross-sectional survey in Mkuranga and Mufindi districts and other national survey reports

TY - JOUR

T1 - Health facility-based data on women receiving sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine during pregnancy in Tanzania

T2 - lessons to learn from a cross-sectional survey in Mkuranga and Mufindi districts and other national survey reports

AU - Mubyazi, Godfrey M.

AU - Byskov, Jens

AU - Magnussen, Pascal

AU - Bygbjerg, Ib Christian

AU - Ijumba, Jasper N.

AU - Marero, Mufungo

AU - Mboera, Leonard Eg

AU - Molteni, Fabrizio

AU - Bloch, Paul

PY - 2014/1/16

Y1 - 2014/1/16

N2 - Background: A study of health facility (HF) data on women receiving sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) was carried out at antenatal care clinics in Mkuranga and Mufindi districts. Methods. A review of health management information system (HMIS) registers, interviews with health-care workers (HWs) and district and national level malaria control program managers corroborated by inter-temporal assessment through observations at HF levels. Statistical data were analyzed in Excel and interpreted in triangulation with qualitative data from interviews and observations. Results: Data indicated that IPTp doses administered to women were inadequate and partly inconsistent. HMIS registers lacked space for IPT records, forcing HWs to manipulate their record-keeping. The proportion/number of IPTp recipients in related to the supply of SP for free delivery, to women's attendance behaviours, showed variation by quarter and year of reporting. Conclusion: It is impossible to achieve rational health service planning when the HMIS is weak. Whilst it is acknowledged that the HMIS is already overloaded, concerted measures are urgently needed to accommodate data on new interventions and other vertical programs if malaria programs are to achieve their goals.

AB - Background: A study of health facility (HF) data on women receiving sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) was carried out at antenatal care clinics in Mkuranga and Mufindi districts. Methods. A review of health management information system (HMIS) registers, interviews with health-care workers (HWs) and district and national level malaria control program managers corroborated by inter-temporal assessment through observations at HF levels. Statistical data were analyzed in Excel and interpreted in triangulation with qualitative data from interviews and observations. Results: Data indicated that IPTp doses administered to women were inadequate and partly inconsistent. HMIS registers lacked space for IPT records, forcing HWs to manipulate their record-keeping. The proportion/number of IPTp recipients in related to the supply of SP for free delivery, to women's attendance behaviours, showed variation by quarter and year of reporting. Conclusion: It is impossible to achieve rational health service planning when the HMIS is weak. Whilst it is acknowledged that the HMIS is already overloaded, concerted measures are urgently needed to accommodate data on new interventions and other vertical programs if malaria programs are to achieve their goals.

U2 - 10.1186/1742-4755-11-6

DO - 10.1186/1742-4755-11-6

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24433529

SN - 1742-4755

VL - 11

JO - Reproductive Health

JF - Reproductive Health

IS - 1

ER -