Abstract
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.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 218-222 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics |
| Volume | 114 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2011 |
Keywords
- Faith-based organizations
- Maternal and newborn health
- Millennium Development Goals
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology