Uptake of, barriers and enablers to the utilization of postnatal care services in Thyolo, Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Postnatal care (PNC) ensures early assessments for danger signs during the postpartum period and is to be provided within 24 h of birth, 48-72 h, 7-14 days, and six weeks after birth. This study assessed the uptake of and the barriers and facilitators to receiving PNC care among mothers and babies. METHODS: A concurrent mixed-method study employing a retrospective register review and a qualitative descriptive study was conducted in Thyolo from July to December 2020. Postnatal registers of 2019 were reviewed to estimate the proportion of mothers and newborns that received PNC respectively. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) among postnatal mothers, men, health care workers, and elderly women and in-depth interviews with midwives, and key health care workers were conducted to explore the barriers and enablers to PNC. Observations of the services that mothers and babies received within 24 h of birth, at 48-72 h, 7-14 days, and six weeks after birth were conducted. Descriptive statistics were tabulated for the quantitative data using Stata while the qualitative data were managed using NVivo and analysed following a thematic approach. RESULTS: The uptake of PNC services was at 90.5%, 30.2%, and 6.1% among women and 96.5%, 78.8%, and 13.7% among babies within 48 h of birth, 3 to 7 and 8 to 42 days respectively. The barriers to PNC services included the absence of a baby or mother, limited understanding of PNC services, lack of male involvement, and economic challenges. Cultural and religious beliefs, advice from community members, community activities, distance, lack of resources, and poor attitude of health care workers also impeded the utilisation of PNC services. The enablers included the mother's level of education, awareness of the services, economic resources, community-based health support, adequacy and attitude of health workers, seeking treatment for other conditions, and other clinic activities. CONCLUSION: Optimisation of uptake and utilization of PNC services for mothers and neonates will require the involvement of all stakeholders. The success of PNC services lies in the communities, health services, and mothers understanding the relevance, time points, and services that need to be delivered to create demand for the services. There is a need to assess the contextual factors for a better response in improving the uptake of PNC services and in turn inform the development of strategies for optimizing the uptake of PNC services.

Protecting small and sick newborn care in the COVID-19 pandemic: multi-stakeholder qualitative data from four African countries with NEST360.

BACKGROUND: Health system shocks are increasing. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in global disruptions to health systems, including maternal and newborn healthcare seeking and provision. Yet evidence on mitigation strategies to protect newborn service delivery is limited. We sought to understand what mitigation strategies were employed to protect small and sick newborn care (SSNC) across 65 facilities Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania, implementing with the NEST360 Alliance, and if any could be maintained post-pandemic. METHODS: We used qualitative methods (in-depth interviews n=132, focus group discussions n=15) with purposively sampled neonatal health systems actors in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Tanzania. Data were collected from September 2021 - August 2022. Topic guides were co-developed with key stakeholders and used to gain a detailed understanding of approaches to protect SSNC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Questions explored policy development, collaboration and investments, organisation of care, human resources, and technology and device innovations. Interviews were conducted by experienced qualitative researchers and data were collected until saturation was reached. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. A common coding framework was developed, and data were coded via NVivo and analysed using a thematic framework approach. FINDINGS: We identified two pathways via which SSNC was strengthened. The first pathway, COVID-19 specific responses with secondary benefit to SSNC included: rapid policy development and adaptation, new and collaborative funding partnerships, improved oxygen systems, strengthened infection prevention and control practices. The second pathway, health system mitigation strategies during the pandemic, included: enhanced information systems, human resource adaptations, service delivery innovations, e.g., telemedicine, community engagement and more emphasis on planned preventive maintenance of devices. Chronic system weaknesses were also identified that limited the sustainability and institutionalisation of actions to protect SSNC. CONCLUSION: Innovations to protect SSNC in response to the COVID-19 pandemic should be maintained to support resilience and high-quality routine SSNC delivery. In particular, allocation of resources to sustain high quality and resilient care practices and address remaining gaps for SSNC is critical.

Challenges and recommendations to improve implementation of phototherapy among neonates in Malawian hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Severe neonatal jaundice can result in long term morbidities and mortality when left untreated. Phototherapy is the main-stay intervention for treating moderate jaundice and for prevention of the development of severe jaundice. However, in resource-limited health care settings, phototherapy has been inconsistently used. The objective of this study is to evaluate barriers and facilitators for phototherapy to treat neonatal jaundice at Malawian hospitals. METHODS: We conducted a convergent mixed-method study comprised of a facility assessment and qualitative interviews with healthcare workers and caregivers in southern Malawi. The facility assessment was conducted at three secondary-level hospitals in rural districts. In-depth interviews following a semi-structured topic guide were conducted at a district hospital and a tertiary-level hospital. Interviews were thematically analysed in NVivo 12 software (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). RESULTS: The facility assessment found critical gaps in initiating and monitoring phototherapy in all facilities. Based on a total of 31 interviews, participants identified key challenges in diagnosing neonatal jaundice, counselling caregivers, and availability of infrastructure. Participants emphasized the need for transcutaneous bilirubinometers to guide treatment decisions. Caregivers were sometimes fearful of potential harmful effects of phototherapy, which required adequate explanation to mothers and family members in non-medical language. Task shifting and engaging peer support for caregivers with concerns about phototherapy was recommended. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a therapeutic intervention is limited if accurate diagnostic tests are unavailable. The scale up of therapeutic interventions, such as phototherapy for neonatal jaundice, requires careful holistic attention to infrastructural needs, supportive services such as laboratory integration as well as trained human resources.

Mothers' quality of life delivering kangaroo mother care at Malawian hospitals: a qualitative study.

INTRODUCTION: Kangaroo mother care is known to help save the lives of preterm and low birthweight infants, particularly in resource-limited health settings, yet barriers to implementation have been documented. Mothers and their families are very involved in the process of providing kangaroo mother care and the impact on their well-being has not been well explored. The objective of this research was to investigate the perspectives and experiences of a mother's quality of life while delivering facility-based kangaroo mother care. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of the qualitative data collected within the "Integrating a neonatal healthcare package for Malawi" project. Twenty-seven health workers and 24 caregivers engaged with kangaroo mother care at four hospitals in southern Malawi were interviewed between May-August 2019. All interviews were face-to-face and followed a topic guide. Content analysis was conducted on NVivo 12 (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia) based on the six World Health Organization Quality of Life domains (physical, psychological, level of independence, social relationships, environment, spirituality). RESULTS: Fifty-one interviews were conducted with 24 caregivers and 14 health workers. Mothers experienced multidimensional challenges to their quality of life while delivering facility-based KMC. Though kangaroo mother care was considered a simple intervention, participants highlighted that continuous kangaroo mother care was difficult to practice. Kangaroo mother care was an exhausting experience for mothers due to being in one position for prolonged periods, compromised sleep, restricted movement, boredom, and isolation during their stay at the hospital as well as poor support for daily living needs such as food. DISCUSSION: A heavy burden is placed on mothers who become the key person responsible for care during kangaroo mother care, especially in resource-limited health settings. More focus is needed on supporting caregivers during the delivery of kangaroo mother care through staff support, family inclusion, and conducive infrastructure.

Social determinants of male partner attendance in women's prevention-of mother-to-child transmission program in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Male partners are rarely present during PMTCT (Prevention-Mother-To-Child-Transmission) services in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Male involvement is increasingly recognised as an important element of women's access to care. This study aims to identify the socio-demographic characteristics, HIV-Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) among women accompanied and not accompanied by their male partners. METHODS: We included pregnant women enrolled in PMTCT programme between August 2018 and November 2019 in the Southern Region of Malawi. Eligible women were aged 18 years or older, living with a male partner, enrolled for the first time in one of the four selected facilities. We provided a KAP survey to women and their partners attending the facilities. Our primary objective was to assess and analyse the proportion of women who were accompanied by their partner at least once. We applied descriptive statistics and logistic regressions to study the association between being accompanied and explanatory variables. RESULTS: We enrolled 128 HIV-positive women: 82 (64.1%) were accompanied by their male partners and 46 (35.9%) were alone. In the multivariable model, women's unemployment and owning a means of transport are negatively associated with male attendance (respectively adjusted OR 0.32 [95% CI, 0.11-0.82] and 0.23 [95% CI, 0.07-0.77]), whereas, in the univariable model, high women's level of knowledge of HIV is positively associated with male attendance (OR 2.17 [95% CI, 1.03-4.58]). Level of attitude and practice toward HIV were not significantly associated to our study variable. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows a high male attendance in Malawi compared to other studies performed in SSA. This study highlights that women's level of knowledge on HIV and their economic condition (employment and owning a means of transport) affects male attendance. Moreover, the study points out that gender power relationships and stringent gender norms play a crucial role thus they should be considered to enhance male involvement.

Health workers' views on factors affecting caregiver engagement with bubble CPAP.

BACKGROUND: Severe respiratory distress is a leading cause of mortality among neonates in Malawi. Despite evidence on the safety, cost effectiveness and efficacy of bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in managing the condition, its use in Malawian health facilities is limited and little is known about caregivers' engagement with perspectives of bubble CPAP. The purpose of this study was to explore caregiver perspectives for bubble CPAP at both central and district hospitals and key factors that enable effective caregiver engagement in Malawi. METHODS: This was a descriptive qualitative study employing secondary analysis of 46 health care worker in-depth interviews. We interviewed the health workers about their thoughts on caregiver perspectives regarding use of bubble CPAP. We implemented the study at a tertiary facility and three district hospitals in southern Malawi. This was a part of a larger study to understand barriers and facilitators to implementing neonatal innovations in resource-constrained hospitals. Interviews were thematically analysed in NVivo 12 software (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). Health workers were purposively selected to include nurses, clinicians and district health management involved in the use of bubble CPAP. RESULTS: Emerging issues included caregiver fears around bubble CPAP equipment as potentially harmful to their new-borns and how inadequate information provided to caregivers exacerbated knowledge gaps and was associated with refusal of care. However, good communication between health care providers and caregivers was associated with acceptance of care. Caregivers' decision-making was influenced by relatives and peer advocates were helpful in supporting caregivers and alleviating fears or misconceptions about bubble CPAP. CONCLUSIONS: Since caregivers turn to relatives and peers for support, there is need to ensure that both relatives and peers are counselled on bubble CPAP for improved understanding and uptake. Health workers need to provide simplified, accurate, up-to-date information on the intervention as per caregivers' level of understanding. Notably, contextualised comprehensible information will help alleviate caregivers' fear and anxieties about bubble CPAP.

"It brought hope and peace in my heart:" Caregivers perceptions on kangaroo mother care services in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is an effective intervention for preterm and low birth weight infants. Effective implementation of KMC relies on a multidisciplinary team centering on the newborn's caregiver, who delivers care with support from health care workers. This study explored the experiences of caregivers on the implementation of KMC. METHODS: We conducted a descriptive qualitative study in the phenomenological tradition, an interpretative approach to describe the caregivers' lived experience with KMC at four health facilities in Malawi from April and June 2019 through 10 non-participatory observations and 24 face-to-face interviews. We drew a purposive sample of 14 mothers, six fathers, three grandmothers, and one grandfather of infants receiving KMC in three secondary and one tertiary level hospitals. Data were analyzed following a thematic approach. RESULTS: Caregivers had limited information on KMC before admission with most of the information learned from peers rather than medical professionals. Stories of positive outcomes following KMC contributed to a shift in perceptions of premature babies and acceptability of KMC as an effective intervention. Unintended consequences resulting from admission due to KMC disrupts responsibilities around the home and disrupts economic activities. Gender division of roles exists with the implementation of KMC and a mother's support networks are crucial. CONCLUSION: Kangaroo mother care is feasible and acceptable among caregivers. KMC babies are described more positively with the potential to grow into strong and healthy children. KMC remains focused on the mother, which undervalues the important roles of her support network. A change in the nomenclature from kangaroo mother care to kangaroo care would include fathers and others delivering care.

Health facility delivery in sub-Saharan Africa: successes, challenges, and implications for the 2030 development agenda.

BACKGROUND: Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the regions with modest health outcomes; and evidenced by high maternal mortality ratios and under-5 mortality rates. There are complications that occur during and following pregnancy and childbirth that can contribute to maternal deaths; most of which are preventable or treatable. Evidence shows that early and regular attendance of antenatal care and delivery in a health facility under the supervision of trained personnel is associated with improved maternal health outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess changes in and determinants of health facility delivery using nationally representative surveys in sub-Saharan Africa. This study also seeks to present renewed evidence on the determinants of health facility delivery within the context of the Agenda for Sustainable Development to generate evidence-based decision making and enable deployment of targeted interventions to improve health facility delivery and maternal and child health outcomes. METHODS: We used pooled data from 58 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 1990 and 2015 in 29 sub-Saharan African countries. This yielded a total of 1.1 million births occurring in the 5 years preceding the surveys. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the counts and proportions of women who delivered by place of delivery and their background characteristics at the time of delivery. We used multilevel logistic regression model to estimate the magnitude of association in the form of odds ratios between place of delivery and the predictors. RESULTS: Results show that births among women in the richest wealth quintile were 68% more likely to occur in health facilities than births among women in the lowest wealth quintile. Women with at least primary education were twice more likely to give birth in facilities than women with no formal education. Births from more recent surveys conducted since 2010 were 85% more likely to occur in facilities than births reported in earliest (1990s) surveys. Overall, the proportion of births occurring in facilities was 2% higher than would be expected; and varies by country and sub-Saharan African region. CONCLUSIONS: Proven interventions to increase health facility delivery should focus on addressing inequities associated with maternal education, women empowerment, increased access to health facilities as well as narrowing the gap between the rural and the urban areas. We further discuss these results within the agenda of leaving no one behind by 2030.

Exploring and prioritising strategies for improving uptake of postnatal care services in Thyolo, Malawi: A qualitative study.

Although postnatal care services form a critical component of the cascade of care in maternal, newborn, and child health the uptake of these services has remained low worldwide. This study explored and prioritised the strategies for optimising the uptake of postnatal care (PNC) services in Malawi. A qualitative descriptive study followed by nominal group techniques was conducted at three health facilities in Malawi from July to December 2020 and in October 2021. We conducted focus group discussions among postnatal mothers, fathers, healthcare workers, elderly women, and grandmothers. We conducted in-depth interviews with midwives and key health managers. Nominal group techniques were used to prioritise the main strategies for the provision of PNC. The demand strategies include appointment date reminders, provision of free health passport books, community awareness campaigns, and involvement of men in the services. The supply strategies included training health providers, improving clinic operations: task-shifting and hours of operation, having infrastructure for the services, and linkage to other services. Having services delivered near end-user residences was a crosscutting strategy. Refresher training and improvement in the clinic operations especially on hours of operation, appointment date reminders, and linkage to care were the prioritised strategies. There is a need to use acceptable and contextualised strategies to optimise the uptake and delivery of postnatal care services. Educating the healthcare workers and the community on postnatal services is key to increasing the demand and supply of the services.

Factors Influencing the Implementation of Infant Warming Devices Among Healthcare Workers in Malawian Hospitals.

Objectives. Preterm infants are at risk of hypothermia. This study described the available infant warming devices (IWDs) and explored the barriers and facilitators to their implementation in neonates in Malawi. Methods. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted among 19 health care workers in Malawi from January to March 2020. All interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and managed using NVivo and analyzed using a thematic approach. Results. The warming devices included radiant warmers, Blantyre hot-cots, wall-mounted heaters, portable warmers, and incubators. Inadequate equipment and infrastructure and gaps in staff knowledge and capacity were reported as the main challenges to optimal IWD implementation. Caregiver acceptance was described as the main facilitator. Strategies to optimize implementation of IWD included continuous practical training and adequate availability of equipment and spare parts. Conclusion. Implementation of warming devices for the management of neonatal hypothermia is effective when there are adequate human and material resources.

Healthcare worker perspectives on mother's insufficient milk supply in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Human milk insufficiency is a significant barrier to implementing breastfeeding, and it is identified as a prevalent concern in 60-90% of mothers in low-and-middle-income countries. Breastmilk insufficiency can lead to hypoglycemia, hypernatremia, nutritional deficiencies, and failure to thrive in newborns and infants. Studies investigating the impact of breastfeeding interventions to improve milk production highlight inconsistencies between healthcare workers and mothers perceived support, as well as gaps in practical knowledge and training. The aim of this study was to determine perceptions surrounding human milk insufficiency from Malawian healthcare workers. METHODS: This study is a secondary analysis of 39 interviews with healthcare workers from one tertiary and three district hospitals in Malawi employing content analysis. Interviewed healthcare workers included nurses, clinical officers, midwives, and medical doctors. An inclusive coding framework was developed to identify themes related to human milk insufficiency, which were analyzed using an iterative process with NVivo12 software. Researchers focused on themes emerging from perceptions and reasons given by healthcare workers for human milk insufficiency. RESULTS: Inability to produce adequate breastmilk was identified as a prevalent obstacle mothers face in the early postpartum period in both district and tertiary facilities in Malawi. The main reasons given by participants for human milk insufficiency were mothers' perceived normalcy of milk insufficiency, maternal stress, maternal malnutrition, and traditional beliefs around food and eating. Three focused solutions were offered by participants to improve mother's milk production - improving education for mothers and training for healthcare providers on interventions to improve mother's milk production, increasing breastfeeding frequency, and ensuring adequate maternal nutrition pre- and post-partum. CONCLUSION: Health care workers perspectives shed light on the complexity of causes and solutions for human milk insufficiency in Malawi. This research highlights that a respectful professional relationship between health care workers and mothers is an essential bridge to improving communication, detecting human milk insufficiency early, and implementing appropriate interventions. The results of this study may help to inform research, clinical practice, and education in Malawi to improve human milk production.

Beyond early initiation: A qualitative study on the challenges of hospital-based postpartum breastfeeding support.

Improving breastfeeding practices is key to reducing child mortality globally. Sub-optimal exclusive breastfeeding rates may be associated with inadequate hospital-based postpartum breastfeeding support, particularly in resource-limited health settings such as Malawi. While almost all children in Malawi are breastfed, it is a concern that exclusive breastfeeding rates in Malawi are declining. The objective of this study is to understand postpartum breastfeeding support after delivery at Malawian hospitals from the perspectives of health workers and caregivers. We conducted a secondary analysis of a descriptive qualitative study on health worker and caregiver experiences of breastfeeding support at health facilities in southern Malawi as part of the Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa Initiative. In-depth interviews following a semi-structured topic guide were conducted at three secondary-level district hospitals and one tertiary-level central hospital. Interviews were thematically analysed in NVivo 12 software (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). We interviewed a total of 61 participants, including 30 caregivers and 31 health care workers. Participants shared the following themes: 1) a focus on early initiation of breastfeeding, 2) inadequate follow-up on breastfeeding practice, and 3) feasibility challenges and local solutions. There was an emphasis on early initiation of breastfeeding, which was challenged by maternal exhaustion after delivery. Study participants reported poor follow-up on breastfeeding practice after initial counselling and reacting to adverse outcomes in lieu of adequate monitoring, with a reliance on caregivers to follow-up on challenges. There was poor support for facility-based breastfeeding after initial counselling post-delivery, which revealed an overall neglect in hospital postpartum care for those considered to be in good health after initial assessment. We recommend the development of indicators to track continued facility-based breastfeeding, identify vulnerable infants at-risk of feeding problems, and strengthening care in postnatal wards, which is currently as neglected component of maternity care.

"Dispense antiretrovirals daily!" restructuring the delivery of HIV services to optimize antiretroviral initiation among men in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Gender disparities exist in the scale-up and uptake of HIV services with men being disproportionately under-represented in the services. In Eastern and Southern Africa, of the people living with HIV infection, more adult women than men were on treatment highlighting the disparities in HIV services. Delayed initiation of antiretroviral treatment creates a missed opportunity to prevent transmission of HIV while increasing HIV and AIDS-associated morbidity and mortality. The main objective of this study was to assess the strategies that men prefer for Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) initiation in Blantyre, Malawi. METHODS: This was a qualitative study conducted in 7 Health facilities in Blantyre from January to July 2017. We selected participants following purposive sampling. We conducted 20 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with men of different HIV statuses, 17 interviews with health care workers (HCWs), and 14 focus group discussions (FGDs) among men of varying HIV statuses. We digitally recorded all the data, transcribed verbatim, managed using NVivo, and analysed it thematically. RESULTS: Restructuring the delivery of antiretroviral (ARVs) treatment and conduct of ART clinics is key to optimizing early initiation of treatment among heterosexual men in Blantyre. The areas requiring restructuring included: Clinic days by offering ARVs daily; Clinic hours to accommodate schedules of men; Clinic layout and flow that preserves privacy and establishment of male-specific clinics; ARV dispensing procedures where clients receive more pills to last them longer than 3 months. Additionally there is need to improve the packaging of ARVs, invent ARVs with less dosing frequency, and dispense ARVs from the main pharmacy. It was further suggested that the test-and-treat strategy be implemented with fidelity and revising the content in counseling sessions with an emphasis on the benefits of ARVs. CONCLUSION: The success in ART initiation among men will require a restructuring of the current ART services to make them accessible and available for men to initiate treatment. The inclusion of people-centered approaches will ensure that individual preferences are incorporated into the initiation of ARVs. The type, frequency, distribution, and packaging of ARVs should be aligned with other medicines readily available within a health facility to minimize stigma.

"You Cannot Catch Fish Near the Shore nor Can You Sell Fish Where There Are No Customers": Rethinking Approaches for Reaching Men With HIV Testing Services in Blantyre Malawi.

HIV testing is the entry point to the cascade of services within HIV care. Although Malawi has made positive strides in HIV testing, men are lagging at 65.5% while women are at 81.6%. This study explored the preferences of men on the avenues for HIV testing in Blantyre, Malawi. This was a descriptive qualitative study in the phenomenological tradition in seven public health facilities in Blantyre, Malawi, among men and health-care workers (HCWs). We conducted 20 in-depth interviews and held 14 focus group discussions among 113 men of varying HIV statuses. All our participants were purposively selected, and data were digitally recorded coded and managed through NVivo. Thematic analysis was guided by the differentiated service delivery model. Men reported a preference for formal and informal workplaces such as markets and other casual employment sites; social places like football pitches, bars, churches, and "bawo" spaces; and outreach services in the form of weekend door-to-door, mobile clinics, men-to-men group. The health facility was the least preferred avenue. The key to testing men for HIV is finding them where they are. Areas that can be leveraged in reaching men are outside the routine health system. Scaling up HIV testing among men will require targeting avenues and operations outside of the routine health system and leverage them to reach more men with services. This suggests that HIV testing and counseling (HTC) uptake among men may be increased if the services were provided at informal places.

Familiar but neglected: identification of gaps and recommendations to close them on exclusive breastfeeding support in health facilities in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding is widely accepted as a key intervention with proven efficacy for improving newborn survival. Despite international commitments and targets to support and promote breastfeeding, there are still gaps in meeting and maintain coverage in many sub-Saharan African countries. This paper aimed to triangulate the perspectives of health workers, mothers, and their family members with facility assessments to identify gaps to improve breastfeeding support in in Malawi. METHODS: The study on breastfeeding barriers and facilitators was conducted in 2019 at one tertiary hospital and three secondary-level hospitals in Malawi. We conducted 61 semi-structured interviews with health workers, postnatal mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and fathers. In 2017, we carried out a neonatal care facility assessment using the World Health Organization (WHO) Integrated Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Quality of Care Assessment and Improvement Tool. Qualitative data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach within the Systems Framework for Health Policy. RESULTS: The district-level hospitals rated high with an average score of 4.8 out of 5 across the three facilities indicating that only minor improvements are needed to meet standards of care for early and exclusive breastfeeding. However, the score fell to an average of 3.5 out of 5 for feeding needs with sick neonates indicating that several improvements are needed in this area. The qualitative data demonstrated that breastfeeding was normalized as part of routine newborn care. However, the focus on routine practice and reliance on breastfeeding knowledge from prenatal counselling highlights inequities and neglect in specialized care and counselling among vulnerable mothers and newborns. Revitalisation of breastfeeding in Malawian facilities will require a systems approach that reinforces policies and guidelines; contextualises knowledge; engagement and empowerment of other relatives to the baby and task-sharing among health workers. CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding is accepted as a social norm among health workers, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and fathers in Malawi, yet vulnerable groups are underserved. Neglect in breastfeeding support among vulnerable populations exacerbates health inequities. Health systems strengthening related to breastfeeding requires a concerted effort among health workers, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and fathers while remaining grounded in contexts to support family-centered hospital care.

"It's business as usual": adolescents perspectives on the ban of alcohol sachets towards reduction in under age alcohol use in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol contributes to poor health, social and economic outcomes among adolescents. In Malawi, alcohol consumption among young people significantly increased after the introduction of alcohol sachets. A government ban on the sale of alcohol sachets affected in 2012 aimed to reduce prevalence of alcohol among users. We explored adolescents perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the ban towards reducing alcohol consumption among the under aged in the country. METHODS: Using a descriptive phenomenological school-based approach, we recruited 44 school-going adolescents, 15-17 year olds using snow ball sampling and conducted 12 individual semi-structured interviews and four group discussions differentiated by sex. We sought a waiver from College of Medicine Ethics Committee (COMREC) to obtain verbal consent from adolescents. All interviews and discussions were digitally recorded and simultaneously transcribed and translated verbatim into English. Data management and analysis was done manually using thematic approach. RESULTS: Aggressive packaging, and marketing tendencies and lack of restrictive measures in Malawi have rendered the ban ineffective through increased affordability and availability to different income population groups and the underage. Results indicate that even though adolescents perceive the ban as a significant step towards reducing under age alcohol use, personality and drinking motives precede any interventions. Adolescents emphasized on strong personality as a significant factor for reduced alcohol intake or abstinence. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend strict alcohol policy and enforcement regarding packaging, pricing, positive role modelling by parents and enhanced adolescent personality development through schools and families.

Scaling up newborn care technologies from tertiary- to secondary-level hospitals in Malawi: an implementation case study of health professional perspectives on bubble CPAP.

BACKGROUND: While Malawi has achieved success in reducing overall under-five mortality, reduction of neonatal mortality remains a persistent challenge. There has, therefore, been a push to strengthen the capacity for quality newborn care at district hospitals through the implementation of innovative neonatal technologies such as bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). This study investigates tertiary- versus secondary-level hospital differences in capacities for bubble CPAP use and implications for implementation policies. METHODS: A secondary analysis of interviews was conducted with 46 health workers at one tertiary hospital and three secondary hospitals in rural Southern Malawi. Grounded theory was utilized to explore the emerging themes according to health worker cadres (nurse, clinician, district health management) and facility level (tertiary- and secondary-level facilities), which were managed using NVivo 12 (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). RESULTS: We identified frequent CPAP use and the availability of neonatal nurses, physicians, and reliable electricity as facilitators for CPAP use at the tertiary hospital. Barriers at the tertiary hospital included initiation eligibility disagreements between clinicians and nurses and insufficient availability of the CPAP machines. At secondary-level hospitals, the use was supported by decision-making and initiation by nurses, involving caretakers to assist in monitoring and reliable availability of CPAP machines. Bubble CPAP was hindered by unreliable electricity, staffing shortages and rotation policies, and poor systems of accountability. CONCLUSION: While this study looked at the implementation of bubble CPAP in Malawi, the findings may be applicable for scaling up other novel neonatal technologies in low-resource settings. Implementation policies must consider staffing and management structures at different health services levels for effective scale-up.

"So sometimes, it looks like it's a neglected ward": Health worker perspectives on implementing kangaroo mother care in southern Malawi.

INTRODUCTION: Kangaroo mother care (KMC) involves continuous skin-to-skin contact of baby on mother's chest to provide warmth, frequent breastfeeding, recognizing danger signs of illness, and early discharge. Though KMC is safe, effective and recommended by the World Health Organization, implementation remains limited in practice. The objective of this study is to understand barriers and facilitators to KMC practice at tertiary and secondary health facilities in southern Malawi from the perspective of health workers. METHODS: This study is part of the "Integrating a neonatal healthcare package for Malawi" project in the Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa initiative. In-depth interviews were conducted between May-Aug 2019 with a purposively drawn sample of service providers and supervisors working in newborn health at a large tertiary hospital and three district-level hospitals in southern Malawi. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach using NVivo 12 software (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). FINDINGS: A total of 27 nurses, clinical officers, paediatricians and district health management officials were interviewed. Staff attitudes, inadequate resources and reliance on families emerged as key themes. Health workers from Malawi described KMC practice positively as a low-cost, low-technology solution appropriate for resource-constrained health settings. However, staff perceptions that KMC babies were clinically stable was associated with lower prioritization in care and poor monitoring practices. Neglect of the KMC ward by medical staff, inadequate staffing and reliance on caregivers for supplies were associated with women self-discharging early. CONCLUSION: Though routine uptake of KMC was policy for stable low birthweight and preterm infants in the four hospitals, there were gaps in monitoring and maintenance of practice. While conceptualized as a low-cost intervention, sustainable implementation requires investments in technologies, staffing and hospital provisioning of basic supplies such as food, bedding, and KMC wraps. Strengthening hospital capacities to support KMC is needed as part of a continuum of care for premature infants.

Barriers and enablers of implementing bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): Perspectives of health professionals in Malawi.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth complications are the leading cause of neonatal deaths. Malawi has high rates of preterm birth, with 18.1 preterm births per 100 live births. More than 50% of preterm neonates develop respiratory distress which if left untreated, can lead to respiratory failure and death. Term and preterm neonates with respiratory distress can often be effectively managed with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and this is considered an essential intervention for the management of preterm neonates by the World Health Organization. Bubble CPAP may represent a safe and cost-effective method for delivering CPAP in low-income settings. OBJECTIVE: The study explored the factors that influence the implementation of bubble CPAP among health care professionals in secondary and tertiary hospitals in Malawi. METHODS: This was a qualitative study conducted in three district hospitals and a tertiary hospital in southern Malawi. We conducted 46 in-depth interviews with nurses, clinicians and clinical supervisors, from June to August 2018. All data were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Factors that influenced implementation of bubble CPAP occurred in an interconnected manner and included: inadequate healthcare provider training in preparation for use, rigid division of roles and responsibilities among providers, lack of effective communication among providers and between providers and newborn's caregivers, human resource constraints, and inadequate equipment and infrastructure. CONCLUSION: There are provider, caregiver and health system level factors that influence the implementation of bubble CPAP among neonates in Malawian health facilities. Ensuring adequate staffing in the nurseries, combined with ongoing training for providers, team cohesion, improved communication with caregivers, and improved hospital infrastructure would ensure optimal utilization of bubble CPAP and avoid inadvertent harm from inappropriate use.

Trends and Determinants of Child Growth Indicators in Malawi and Implications for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Sustainable development goals (SGD) 2 links malnutrition, morbidity and child mortality to stunting, wasting and overweight among children under-5 years of age. Sub-Saharan Africa still registers high nutritionally insecure people. In particular, Malawi has made modest progress in improving nutritional outcomes; and still experiences a number of structural challenges leading to negative nutritional outcomes. We describe trends of under nutrition and how the effect of selected determinants of child nutrition affect Malawian children under-5 from 1992 to 2015-16; and examine the changing patterns of the effect of selected socio-demographic characteristics on stunting and underweight using data from demographic and health surveys (DHS). The analysis included 31,630 children under-5 years from 1992, 2000, 2004, 2010, and 2015-16 DHS. Our outcome measures are stunting (height/length-for-age) and underweight (weight-for-age) less than -2 SD (Z-score). We perform logistic regression to assess the relationship between selected socio-demographic characteristics with the stunting and underweight variables. Underweight decreased by 14.0% from 24.7% (1992) to 10.7% (2015-16). Stunting decreased by 23.0% from 55.6% (1992) to 32.6% (2015-16). Underweight was more prevalent among children from central and southern regions; among male children; and children above 6 months of age or more. Later surveys were associated with reduced likelihood of underweight than the earliest surveys. Similar trends were observed between socioeconomic factors and stunting. The observed underweight and stunting prevalence is 2.2% and 1.9% lower than expected, respectively. Despite modest declines in underweight and stunting among young children in Malawi, underweight and stunting remain significant public health challenges particularly in southern and central Malawi which constitute about 85% of the total population. Interventions to address the critical malnutrition challenges in Malawi are inevitable within the context of SDG 2 on health.