FAMILY PLANNING AND CHILD HEALTHCARE IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN BANADIR REGION, SOMALIA
FAMILY PLANNING AND CHILD HEALTHCARE IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN BANADIR REGION, SOMALIA
Abdirashid Mohamed Abdille - Student, Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Wilson Muna - Lecturer, Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Somalia has more health issues for women and children than practically any other country on the planet. Despite this, there has had at least been more continuous improvement since 2000 compared to the decade before it, even if both child and maternal mortality rates have decreased more slowly than in neighbouring nations and far more slowly than was anticipated under the Millennium Goals. Somalia has some of the poorest health and nutrition metrics in the world. Acute malnutrition rates are currently estimated to be over 14% worldwide, with substantially higher rates among displaced people and pastoralist groups. Family planning 2020 was a pledge Somalia made in 2015, and in 2017 the administration updated that commitment to guarantee access to high-quality reproductive health care including modern contraceptives. Therefore, it is important to evaluate how family planning policies affect the availability of child health care in the Banadir Region of Somalia. The study set to determine the impact of child spacing and sensitization campaign on child health in public hospitals in Banadir Region, Somalia. Social Theory was used to show the interrelationship amongst variables. The study targeted three main hospitals; Banadir Hospital, Daynile Hospital and De Martino Hospital in Banadir Region. The unit of observations were Midwives, Pharmacist, Lab technician, Nurses and child specialised Doctors totalling to 120 respondents; and an additional 1080 mothers seeking maternal care. A sample of 300 respondents was calculated using Slovin's method. Descriptive research design was applied. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to gather primary data. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyze quantitative data. Data was shown as tables and charts. The researcher requested Kenyatta University Graduate School for a letter authorizing data gathering, as well as the National Commission for Science, Technology, and Innovation and other pertinent authorities, to grant permission. The researcher handled data and respondents according to research ethics. The result supported that the child spacing within Banadir region was low, mothers moderately practiced child spacing and frequent reminders were done to all mothers. The results indicates that there was increased number of sensitization initiatives, various sensitization approaches were done from region to region and mothers have experienced a great chance from the increased sensitization strategies used. Based on the statistical results presented, the study concludes that the child spacing and sensitization practices had a significant effect on child healthcare access in Banadir region, Somalia. The study recommends establishment of effective planning across the community and the ministry of health should create public health campaigns and messaging that are targeted at all segments of the society.
