![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Learning Objective 1: understand the maternal child health and family planning health issues in Ethiopia
Learning Objective 2: understand the necessity of community based programs to intervene health problems related to MCH & FP.
Methods: Focus groups discussions were employed to collect data with two major informant groups including 81 participants: community groups and health providers groups. The data was collected from different community members between 15-24 February 2008 at Hettosa, Ethiopia.
Results: The main reason for avoiding family planning was religious belief especially within Muslim families. The Majority of women had the misconception that they could avoid pregnancy by breastfeeding. MCH & FP programs need to focus on women with little or no education, women of higher parity, rural areas, and teenagers. According to health care providers, there was huge gap in MCH service delivery. The government budget is not enough to cover the costs of medicine or stock of supplies for pregnant woman and sick children, not even iron supply. Most of the immunization services were conducted in the clinics. There was a huge problem of child malnutrition. Feeding center for malnourished children and nutrition demonstration for mothers were desperate. In terms of health care provider competencies, there were no refresher and on-the-job trainings provided for the staff and working environment does not provide the opportunity to practice. Conclusion: The results revealed important suggestions for quality MCH and FP services in the community in terms of building the infrastructural capacity of health provision, enhancing the capacity of health providers through trainings, and community participation with religious leaders and target group of women.
See more of: Research Sessions – Oral Paper & Posters