Task shifting in maternal and newborn health care: Key components from policy to implementation

Abstract

Task shifting in various forms has been adopted extensively around the world in an effort to expand the reach of lifesaving services to the women, newborns, and families who need them. The emerging global literature, as well as Jhpiego's field experiences, supports the importance of addressing several key components that facilitate effective task shifting in maternal and newborn health care. These components include: (1) policy and regulatory support; (2) definition of roles, functions, and limitations; (3) determination of requisite skills and qualifications; (4) education and training; and (5) service delivery support, including management and supervision, incentives and/or remuneration, material support (e.g. commodities), and referral systems. Jhpiego's experiences with task shifting also provide illustrations of the complex interplay of these key components at work in the field. Task shifting should be considered as a part of the larger health system that needs to be designed to equitably meet the needs of mothers, newborns, children, and families.

Task Shifting: an approach to bridge inadequate skill mix in low and middle income countries

“…Later the program was successful and was scaled up (18). A similar study was done in Sylet, for use of post partum contraception and recommended to have spacing between births for improved mother and child health.…”

“…This meant reaching pregnant mothers in remote areas at right time.The end line coverage was 72% as compared to 10% initially and maternal mortality was found to be low in the pilot area. In 2010, 2011 and 2014 the government of Nepal scaled up the intervention in 4 mountain region, 21 districts and 31 districts, respectively with high involvement of FCHVs (18).…”

“…The study was scaled up to 22 states of India with 34 centers for training in which medical doctors provide round the clock services (18).…”

An assessment of maternal, newborn and child health implementation studies in Nigeria: implications for evidence informed policymaking and practice

“…Of the 146 publication yielded in category 1, 8 (5.5%) 22-29 fulfilled the study inclusion criteria regarding maternal health and were selected (Table 1). Out of the 76 publications yielded in category 2, 7(9.2%) 30-36 satisfied the study inclusion criteria regarding newborn health and were selected (Table 2), while of the 249 publication from category 3, only 3 (1.2%) 37-39 met the study inclusion criteria regarding child health and were selected (Table 3).…”

Health Insecurity and Social Protection: Pathways, Gaps, and Their Implications on Health Outcomes and Poverty

“…Literature on social protection in healthcare suggests that social protection measures will follow a range of pathways in different countries, depending on the nature of their existing institutions, the level of their economic development and the features of their economic transformation, particularly the interaction between short-term and longer-term changes in the global health agenda, 10,[25][26][27] as well as demand and supply side factors. Demand factors include information on healthcare choices/providers, education, direct and indirect costs, price and availability of substitute services.…”