TITLE:
Knowledge and Practice in Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) Providers in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
AUTHORS:
Joëlle Ambis Lumaya, Roger Mwimba Mbungu, Andy Muela Mbangama, Patrick Muyayalo Kahindo, Berry Nsiangangu Kinkenda, Guillaume Bisinkam Malingisi, Anselme Mulaila Mbungu, Jean Tshitadi Mukendi, Freddy Nkongolo Muamba, Jésual Banza Lotoy, Bienvenu Nkashama Kazadi, Adrien Umba Tandu, Christian Otem Ndesanzim, Gérard Mubengabantu Kabatantshi
KEYWORDS:
Obstetric and Neonatal Care, Emergency, Maternity, Kinshasa
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.12 No.9,
September
27,
2022
ABSTRACT: Context: Maternal and newborn mortality remains a public
health concern worldwide. Although its ratio decreased by around 44% from 1990
to 2015, this rate remains high in developing regions, particularly in sub-Saharan
Africa. Objectives: To
evaluate the level of knowledge and practice of Emergency Obstetric and
Neonatal Care (EmONC) of health providers in maternity hospitals in Kinshasa and to identify
the causes of the non-practice of EmONC. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted from September 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017 in 21 medical
facilities drawn from the 6 health districts of the city of Kinshasa. We
analyzed data obtained by interviewing 675 healthcare providers from different
professional categories working in gynecology departments and in delivery
rooms. The 50% acceptability criterion was set to assess their knowledge and
practice. Results: Among
the providers, 385 of them (57%) had already heard of EmONC and most of them
were general practitioners with a rate of 55.8% of all participants, but
specialists were the ones who defined them well. Supervision by trained
colleagues was the main source of information on EmONC with 32.5%, while
structured training only concerned 24% of our providers and 43% of providers
had no training in EmONC. The level of knowledge was deemed satisfactory with
56.4% for the whole population but below the average for general practitioners.
32.2% of our sample did not practice the EmONC and the lack of training was the
main reason for this non-practice. Conclusion:
EmONC as a strategy in the fight against maternal mortality is not
known. Its functions are known within the framework of basic training and
current practice. Structured training only concerned 24% of our service
providers and 43% of them had no training in EmONC.