Availability of comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care in developing regions in Ethiopia: lessons learned from the USAID transform health activity

This study assessed the availability and impact of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) signal functions in 15 public hospitals across four developing regions in Ethiopia. Initially, only six hospitals provided all nine signal functions, with cesarean sections and blood transfusions among the least available. Following the introduction of a clinical mentorship program in ten hospitals, availability of CEmONC services improved significantly, with a 7.25% increase in cesarean sections and a 96.67% reduction in referrals for blood transfusions and obstetric complications. However, there was no significant change in maternal deaths, neonatal deaths, or stillbirths, indicating that improved service availability alone is insufficient. The study recommends further investigation into underlying causes of poor outcomes, assessment of service quality, and institutionalization of maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response systems.

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