RESUMEN
Knowledge of infectious diseases and self-action are vital to disease control and prevention. Yet, little is known about the factors associated with knowledge of and self-action to prevent the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This study accomplishes two objectives. Firstly, we examine the determinants of COVID-19 knowledge and preventive knowledge among women in four sub-Saharan African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burkina Faso). Secondly, we explore the factors associated with self-action to prevent COVID-19 infections among these women. Data for the study are from the Performance for Monitoring Action COVID-19 Survey, conducted in June and July 2020 among women aged 15-49. Data were analysed using linear regression technique. The study found high COVID-19 knowledge, preventive knowledge, and self-action among women in these four countries. Additionally, we found that age, marital status, education, location, level of COVID-19 information, knowledge of COVID-19 call centre, receipt of COVID-19 information from authorities, trust in authorities, and trust in social media influence COVID-19 knowledge, preventive knowledge, and self-action. We discuss the policy implications of our findings.
RESUMEN
Following the World Health Organization's recommendation for developing countries to discontinue the use of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in rural areas, the government of Ghana banned TBAs from offering maternal health care services. Since this ban, community-level conflicts have intensified between TBAs, (who still see themselves as legitimate culturally mandated traditional midwives) and nurses. In this articles, we propose a partnership model for a sustainable resolution of these conflicts. This article emanates from the apparent ideological discontent between people from mainstream medical practice who advocate for the complete elimination of TBAs in the maternal health service space and individuals who argue for the inclusion of TBAs in the health sector given the shortage of skilled birth attendants and continued patronage of their services by rural women even in context where nurses are available. In the context of the longstanding manpower deficit in the health sector in Ghana, improving maternal healthcare in rural communities will require harnessing all locally available human resources. This cannot be achieved by "throwing out" a critical group of actors who have been involved in health-care provision for many decades. We propose a win-win approach that involve retraining of TBAs, partnership with health practitioners, and task shifting.
