Pan African Medical Journal
Journal / Pan African Medical Journal / Vol. 38 No. 1 (2021) / Articles

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Published:

Mar 16, 2021

Keywords:

Emergency obstetric care; maternal health; Sousse; Tunisia

Issue

Vol. 38 No. 1 (2021)

Section

Articles

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Manel Limam

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Faten Hachani

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, Farhat Hached Hospital, Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Mariem El Ghardallou

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Mouadh Bachraoui

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Manel Mellouli

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Ali Mtiraoui

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Hedi Khairi

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, Farhat Hached Hospital, Gynaecology and Obstetrics Department, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Thouraya Ajmi

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Chekib Zedini

University of Sousse, Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Research Laboratory “LR12ES03”, 4000, Sousse, Tunisia

Abstract

Introduction: emergency obstetric care (EmOC) is a high-impact priority intervention strongly recommended for improving maternal health outcomes. The objectives of this study were to assess the availability, utilization, and quality of emergency obstetric care services in the Governorate of Sousse (Tunisia).

Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among public health facilities which performed deliveries in Sousse in 2017. Data were collected by consulting clinical records and registers and interviewing staff using WHO EmOC tools. Emergency obstetric care (EmOC) indicators were calculated.

Results: only the University maternity Unit functioned as full comprehensive EmOC facility. No other public facility provided all the 7 Basic EmOC signal functions 3 months prior to the survey. The unperformed signal functions were: administration of parenteral antibiotics, manual removal of placenta and assisted vaginal delivery. The number of EmOC facilities was 0.72 per 500,000 inhabitants. The met need for EmOC was 89.5%. The proportion of caesarean section was 24.2%. The direct obstetric case fatality rate was 0.159% and intrapartum and very early neonatal death rate was 0.65%.

Conclusion: raising maternity facilities to a minimum level of basic EmOC status would be a major contributing step towards maternal mortality reduction.

Journal Identifiers

eISSN: 1937-8688