TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of faith-based organizations in maternal and newborn health care in Africa
AU - Widmer, Mariana
AU - Betran, Ana P.
AU - Merialdi, Mario
AU - Requejo, Jennifer Harris
AU - Karpf, Ted
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - Background: Global disparities in maternal and newborn health represent one of the starkest health inequities of our times. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have historically played an important role in providing maternal/newborn health services in African countries. However, the contribution of FBOs in service delivery is insufficiently recognized and mapped. Objectives: A systematic review of the literature to assess available evidence on the role of FBOs in the area of maternal/newborn health care in Africa. Search strategy: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for articles published between 1989 and 2009 on maternal/newborn health and FBOs in Africa. Results: Six articles met the criteria for inclusion. These articles provided information on 6 different African countries. Maternal/newborn health services provided by FBOs were similar to those offered by governments, but the quality of care received and the satisfaction were reported to be better. Conclusion: Efforts to document and analyze the contribution of FBOs in maternal/newborn health are necessary to increase the recognition of FBOs and to establish stronger partnerships with them in Africa as an untapped route to achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5.
AB - Background: Global disparities in maternal and newborn health represent one of the starkest health inequities of our times. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) have historically played an important role in providing maternal/newborn health services in African countries. However, the contribution of FBOs in service delivery is insufficiently recognized and mapped. Objectives: A systematic review of the literature to assess available evidence on the role of FBOs in the area of maternal/newborn health care in Africa. Search strategy: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for articles published between 1989 and 2009 on maternal/newborn health and FBOs in Africa. Results: Six articles met the criteria for inclusion. These articles provided information on 6 different African countries. Maternal/newborn health services provided by FBOs were similar to those offered by governments, but the quality of care received and the satisfaction were reported to be better. Conclusion: Efforts to document and analyze the contribution of FBOs in maternal/newborn health are necessary to increase the recognition of FBOs and to establish stronger partnerships with them in Africa as an untapped route to achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5.
KW - Faith-based organizations
KW - Maternal and newborn health
KW - Millennium Development Goals
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.03.015
DO - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2011.03.015
M3 - Review article
C2 - 21696730
AN - SCOPUS:79961166076
VL - 114
SP - 218
EP - 222
JO - International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
JF - International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
SN - 0020-7292
IS - 3
ER -