Do mission hospitals have a role in achieving Millennium Development Goal 5?
BACKGROUND
It is unlikely that some low-income countries will achieve Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG5) unless governments find new approaches. One possibility is through government partnerships with mission hospitals and other faith-based organizations (FBOs), but this would require overcoming historic reservations.


METHODS
We review the limited literature on mission hospitals and other FBO health services providing maternity care.


CONCLUSIONS
The management and the clinical care provided by FBOs are often of higher quality than that provided by government hospitals. Mission hospitals have several advantages including more resources (especially foreign exchange), greater access to expatriate staff especially for training, and more flexibility in hiring and managing staff and in procuring and managing medicines and supplies.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased collaboration between governments and mission hospitals, particularly in underserved and rural areas, could improve availability and quality of obstetric services enough to meet MDG5 targets. Delegating responsibilities to mission hospitals, exchanging information, and collaboration in projects and training could accelerate progress toward MDG5. Bilateral and multilateral funding institutions and International NGOs should encourage more effective partnerships between governments and FBOs.
Gill
Zafarullah
Z
Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA. zg41@columbia.edu
Carlough
Martha
M
D005260:Female; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011247:Pregnancy; D008921:Religious Missions