Revista de SIDA e investigación clínica

The Quality of Immediate Postnatal Care in Health Facilities in Swaziland: Experience of Postnatal Mothers

Abstract

Bongani R Dlamini, Isabella S Ziyane and Wendy P Gule

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate care rendered to HIV positive women during the first six weeks of postpartum. Quantitative, descriptive, cross sectional and analytic study was conducted to investigate postnatal care services provided to HIV positive mothers. Methods: Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. A total of 372 respondents participated in the study. Descriptive data analysis was used; Epi info version 3.5.1 software was used for data entering and analysis. Results: The results of the study highlighted that the quality of immediate postnatal care (PNC) was com-promised: only 44.9% (n=167) had their temperature measured, 26.6% (n=99) had their pulse rate measured, about half 53.2% (n=198) were physically assessed following childbirth. Whereas, all the health facilities (100%) had the basic equipment for the provision of quality immediate PNC. Conclusion: The study reveals compromised PNC services provided to HIV positive mothers during the immediate postpartum. It had also documented gaps in the delivery of quality PNC to this special group. Recommendations: The researchers recommend that the Sexual Reproductive Health Programme within the MoH conduct training needs assessment and skills audit in collaboration with partners, midwifery schools and regulatory bodies to provide evidence-based in-service training and/or specialised trainings in PNC to ensure that a competent midwifery workforce is maintained.