INFLUENCE OF AIDS, POPULATION, HEALTH INTEGRATED ASSISTANT (APHIA) PLUS PROJECTS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF ANTENATAL CARE SERVICE IN EMBU COUNTY
Evelyn Kanyiva Njeru - Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Dr. Anne Wairimu Ndiritu - University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Antenatal care services are essential services that are provided to all women during pregnancy to ensure optimal health of women and their unborn babies and the care thereafter during childbirth and puerperium. The purpose of this study was to find out the influence of APHIA Plus projects on implementation of antenatal care services in Embu County. The objectives of this study included; to determine the influence of capacity building and training by APHIA Plus on implementation of antenatal services, the influence of adoption of Information Technology by AHIA Plus on implementation of antenatal care services and the influence of Monitoring and Evaluation services by APHIA Plus on implementation of antenatal care services in Embu County. A quantitative descriptive study design was adopted. The target population for this study included 126 staff working in 22 health facilities assisted by APHIA Plus. Simple random sampling method was used to obtain a sample size of 41 respondents. A standardized self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents .Data collection was done by using questionnaires to the respondents who filled them. Data analysis was done with the help of SPSS version 16.0 and was presented by tables .The research findings revealed that implementation of antennal care services was influenced by different factors, for examples, in capacity building and training, 82.9% of the respondents reported that they had been trained on relevant programs that were related to Antenatal care services; In adoption of the Information Technology in the health facilities,53.1% of the respondents reported that they were able to use computers that were installed in their health facilities to type, store and dissemination data. The study findings revealed that Monitoring and Evaluation was done in the health facilities with 70.1% of the respondents reporting that the health facilities had monitoring guidelines for them to follow. However, majority, at 74.4% reported that Monitoring and Evaluation services had some challenges like lack of funds and knowledge on how to carry out such services. The study concluded that, to some extent, there was influence of capacity building and training, adoption of Information Technology and influence of Monitoring and Evaluation of .Antenatal care services .The study recommended that training of staff in relevant areas of working should continue, in order to improve work performance. Adoption of Information Technology should be improved and more staff to be trained on the technology and its use so as to improve communication .Monitoring and Evaluation as an ongoing activity must be implemented at all levels in the organization to ensure continuity and smooth running of activities, efficiency and effectiveness of services.
