title: Cross-sectional observational assessment of quality of newborn care immediately after birth in health facilities across six sub-Saharan African countries.
abstract: To present information on the quality of newborn care services and health facility readiness to provide newborn care in 6 African countries, and to advocate for the improvement of providers' essential newborn care knowledge and skills.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional observational health facility assessment.
  
  
  
  Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania.
  
  
  
  Health workers in 643 facilities. 1016 health workers were interviewed, and 2377 babies were observed in the facilities surveyed.
  
  
  
  Indicators of quality of newborn care included (1) provision of immediate essential newborn care: thermal care, hygienic cord care, and early and exclusive initiation of breast feeding; (2) actual and simulated resuscitation of asphyxiated newborn infants; and (3) knowledge of health workers on essential newborn care, including resuscitation.
  
  
  
  Sterile or clean cord cutting instruments, suction devices, and tables or firm surfaces for resuscitation were commonly available. 80% of newborns were immediately dried after birth and received clean cord care in most of the studied facilities. In all countries assessed, major deficiencies exist for essential newborn care supplies and equipment, as well as for health worker knowledge and performance of key routine newborn care practices, particularly for immediate skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding initiation. Of newborns who did not cry at birth, 89% either recovered on their own or through active steps taken by the provider through resuscitation with initial stimulation and/or ventilation. 11% of newborns died. Assessment of simulated resuscitation using a NeoNatalie anatomic model showed that less than a third of providers were able to demonstrate ventilation skills correctly.
  
  
  
  The findings shared in this paper call attention to the critical need to improve health facility readiness to provide quality newborn care services and to ensure that service providers have the necessary equipment, supplies, knowledge and skills that are critical to save newborn lives.
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Survival Program, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Graft-Johnson
authors.affiliation: Innovations for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, Concern Worldwide, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vesel
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Heather E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Survival Program, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rawlins
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Survival Program, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abwao
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Survival Program, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Goldy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazia
authors.affiliation: ICF International, Rockville, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bozsa
authors.affiliation: Save the Children, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Winifrede
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mwebesa
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Survival Program, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Neena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khadka
authors.affiliation: JHPIEGO Corporation, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kamunya
authors.affiliation: Consultant Obstetrician Gynecologist, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Ashebir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Getachew
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Survival Program, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: Gaudiosa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tibaijuka
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program, Antananarivo, Madagascar.
authors.forename: Jean Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Rakotovao
authors.affiliation: Maternal and Child Survival Program, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Alemnesh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tekleberhan
mesh_terms: D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000592:standards / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012151:Resuscitation
keywords: breastfeeding; cross-sectional observational assessment; essential newborn care; neonatal resuscitation; newborn care