title: Using scorecards to achieve facility improvements for maternal and newborn health.
abstract: The Government of Sierra Leone launched the Free Health Care Initiative in 2010, which contributed to increased use of facility based maternity services. However, emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) facilities were few and were inadequately equipped to meet the increased demand. To ensure provision of EmONC in some priority facilities, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation undertook regular facility assessments. With the use of assessment tools and scorecards it is possible to make improvements to the services provided in the period after assessment. The exercise shows that evidence that is shared with providers in visually engaging formats can help decision-making for facility based improvements.
authors.affiliation: Evidence for Action, Freetown, Sierra Leone. Electronic address: m.yilla@evidence4action.net.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilla
authors.affiliation: Evidence for Action - Options Consultancy Services, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sara L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Evidence for Action, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Austine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adeyemo
authors.affiliation: Reproductive and Child Health Directorate, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
authors.forename: Samuel A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kargbo
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000592:standards; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D008429:Maternal Welfare; D011247:Pregnancy; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care
keywords: Accountability; Emergency obstetric and neonatal care; Evidence for Action (E4A); Maternal health; Neonatal health; Quality of care; Scorecards; Sierra Leone