Neonatal Death clinical trials

Linking Facility-based Mortality Audits With Community Engagement in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Pakistan is one of the countries in South Asia where neonatal mortality rates remain stagnant. Babies born in Pakistan encounter the highest risk of dying; of every 1,000 babies born, 46 die before the end of their first month (UNICEF, 2018). Some of the highest perinatal and neonatal mortality rates in Pakistan are found in districts of Pakistan's mountainous northern region (Bhutta ZA, 2013), where geography, climate and security risks make it challenging for women in remote communities to reach health services in a timely manner. According to 2013 PDHS, the neonatal and perinatal mortality rate in the northern area of Gilgit Baltistan was 39/1,000 and 37/1,000, respectively. In the rural area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the neonatal and perinatal mortality rate was 42/1,000 and 63/1,000, respectively. Implementation of a health facility mortality audit cycle has proved successful in reducing perinatal mortality by upto 30% in other LMICs. Meanwhile evidence suggests that the most common factors contributing to high mortality rates are due to phase-one delays (delay in the decision to seek care). This study will attempt to operationalize linkages between the community and facility to not only improve facility-based quality of care, but to bring change in the community through community-feedback meetings to mitigate phase one and two delays and improve maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Data from this study will inform MoH policy decisions about standardized mortality audits with community feedback. Given the geographical location of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and accompanying constraints such as terrain and security, this study will attempt to operationalize linkages between the community and facility to not only improve facility-based quality of care, but to bring change in the community through community-feedback meetings to mitigate phase one and two delays and improve maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes. Data from this study will inform MoH policy decisions about standardized mortality audits with community feedback.