FRONTIERS Projects | Improving the Ghanaian Safe Motherhood Program

FRONTIERS PROJECT
Improving the Ghanaian Safe Motherhood Program

The Health Research Unit of the Ministry of Health and FRONTIERS tested the effect of improved training and other performance-improvement factors on the quality of maternal care and client outcomes in maternal health programs. The study evaluated the results of this new responsive training and learning approach to prepare providers to offer integrated safe motherhood services as compared with the original course. The self-paced learning curriculum produced greater increases in provider knowledge of reproductive health services than the traditional residential courses. However, the curriculum was no more effective in increasing provider skills, and it cost more per trainer. Considering both financial and opportunity costs, the residential course was more cost-effective for improving provider skills in essential obstetric care, antenatal care, and postabortion care services. Both practices may be required in national programs to ensure effective coverage of training in local settings.

Location

Ghana

Duration

December 2001–September 2004

Population Council researcher

Placide Tapsoba

Non-Council collaborator

Ghana Ministry of Health (MOH)

Donor

US Agency for International Development

Publications/Resources
Council researchers' names appear in boldface type.

2006
"Ghana: Combine learning approaches to improve maternal care," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 57. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

2005
Osei, Ivy, Bertha Garshong, Gertrude Owusu Banahene, John Gyapong, Placide Tapsoba, Ian Askew, Clement Ahiadeke, Richard Killian, Edward Bonku, Perle Combary, and William Sampson. “Improving the Ghanaian Safe Motherhood Programme: Evaluating the effectiveness of alternative training models and other performance improvement factors on the quality of maternal care and client outcomes,” FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 1.4 MB)