Cost Analysis of Maternaly Waiting Homes in Rural Liberia

Abstract

Session presented on Saturday, July 23, 2016 and Sunday, July 24, 2016: Background/context of paper: Maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality remains a great concern in low resource settings. Liberia has a Maternal mortality ratio of 1,072 deaths per 100,000 live births, ranking them in the top ten for Maternal mortality in the world. Liberia also has a high neonatal mortality ratio of 26 deaths per 1,000 live births. Maternaly waiting homes (MWHs) are residential dwellings located near health facilities where women stay to await delivery and receive immediate postpartum services. They have been used in a variety of settings as a 'geographic bridge' to overcome distance and transportation barriers that can prevent women from receiving timely skilled care at delivery. Although MWHs have demonstrated their value by reducing Maternal mortality rates, there is little information on their cost-effectiveness. Aim of paper: The purpose of this study is to analyse the cost-effectiveness of MWHs in terms of Maternal and neonatal lives saved. Methods: A cost-effective analysis was performed to calculate the cost per life saved and economic effect of MWHs on Maternal and neonatal mortality. Key points for discussion: Results indicate an extremely low cost per Maternal and neonatal life saved at MWHs in Liberia. Conclusion and recommendations: Maternaly waiting homes are a highly cost-effective and affordable strategy to reduce Maternal and neonatal mortality in Liberia. Discussion to scale-up MWH interventions for improving Maternal and neonatal outcomes in Liberia and other low resource settings is warranted. Results can be used to advocate for policy changes at the national level to increase the allocation of resources for building additional MWHs to address the distance barrier faced by pregnant women in accessing skilled care at delivery. References: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Liberia demographic and health survey 2013. Retrieved from: http://dhsprogram.com/what-we-do/survey/survey-display-435.cfm Lori, J.R., Munro, M.L., Rominski, S., Williams, G., Dahn, B.T., Boyd, C.J., Moore, J.E. & Gwenegale, W. 2013, "Maternaly waiting homes and traditional midwives in rural Liberia", International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, vol. 123, no. 2, pp. 114-118. World Health Organization (2015). Maternaly waiting houses. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/Maternal_perinatal_health/MSM_96