Abstract:
Background: Globally, perinatal mortality rate is 19 deaths per1000
births and maternal mortality is 240 per100, 000 live births. In Africa
maternal mortality rate is 500 per100, 000 live births and perinatal
mortality is 49 per 1000 births. In Kenya complications related to
pregnancy and child birth are the leading causes of maternal mortality
translating to 488 per 100,000 live births. In Kakamega District,
Maternal mortality rate was 880 per 100,000 live births while
perinatal mortality rate was 77 per 1000 pregnancies.
Objective: The main objective of the study was to determine the
effect of emergency obstetrics and neonatal care training on maternal
and perinatal outcomes in Kakamega County.
Methods: A descriptive cross sectional and retrospective research
design was adopted. The target population comprised of frontline
healthcare workers trained in EmONC in the 32 health facilities within
the county. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 325
respondents. Data was collected using questionnaire, document
analysis, observation, and interview and Focus Group discussion. Data
was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using
Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.The finding of this
study showed that knowledge and skills of healthcare providers on
monitoring a woman in labour improved significantly after the
training (p<0.05). The healthcare providers’ knowledge and skills on
neonatal care improved as depicted by a Chi-square (p<0.05).
Maternal and perinatal mortality rate reduced from 627 in county
general hospital, 333 in county hospitals, 458 in sub county hospitals
and 80 in health centres in the year 2010 before training to 285 in
county general hospital, 48 in county hospitals, 41 in sub county
hospitals and there were no maternal deaths in health centres in the
year 2015 after the training. However, the healthcare staff experience
challenges during EmONC service delivery which include; inadequate
staff, inadequate equipments and supplies, inadequate stock of key
drugs and consumables and insufficient transport and communication.
Conclusion: the County government should address the challenges
that interfere with the implementation of EmONC services.
