title: The role of faith-based organizations in maternal and newborn health care in Africa.
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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. widmerm@who.int
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Betran
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merialdi
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Requejo
authors.forename: Ted
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karpf
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D011247:Pregnancy; D012067:Religion