Systems thinking: A turning point for improving respectful obstetric care in South African health districts

Poorly functioning health systems and local health systems barriers affect many women giving birth in low- and middle-income countries. The district clinical specialist teams in South Africa are uniquely positioned to provide facilitation and mentoring during interventions for improving the weak pri...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: S Oosthuizen, A-M Bergh, R Pattinson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Health and Medical Publishing Group 2018-10-01
Series:South African Medical Journal
Online Access:http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/download/12464/8670
Description
Summary:Poorly functioning health systems and local health systems barriers affect many women giving birth in low- and middle-income countries. The district clinical specialist teams in South Africa are uniquely positioned to provide facilitation and mentoring during interventions for improving the weak primary healthcare system. To ensure success, four key principles should be considered during scale-up of interventions: systems thinking and awareness of contexts and barriers; a focus on sustainability; harnessing factors known to enhance scalability; and respect for human rights and equity. Asking the right questions about the responsibilities of health systems at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels will benefit scale-up processes and sustain innovative pathways to high-quality obstetric care in communities.
ISSN:0256-9574
2078-5135