EMERGENCY OBSTETRICS TRAINING IMPROVING SKILLS AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN MIGORI AND NYERI COUNTIES, KENYA

Introduction: Utilization of skilled health care is effective in reduction of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality.  Sufficiently trained health workers can competently handle and manage obstetric complications. Health workers, despite having undergone a formal training, require regular refreshers to keep up to date with new, evidence-based information. Methods: This is an evaluation report following Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care skills – based training by Maternal and Infant Survival and Healthcare Advancement (MAISHA), a project by Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and College of The Rockies, Canada in collaboration with Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the Ministry of Health among health care workers in Migori and Nyeri Counties’ health facilities. Knowledge and skills pre-test was done before the training and a similar post-test was administered after the training to assess the level of knowledge and skills of each participant. Follow up was done to the trained participants four months after the training to assess the level of retention of the skills. Findings: The pre-test findings indicated that the health workers were equipped with theoretical knowledge, however the hands on skills were lacking in common procedures such as maternal and newborn resuscitation, breech delivery and use of a partograph in labour. After the training, knowledge was improved and skills were gained, however, follow up supervisory visits indicated need for a refresher training on the skills. Conclusion: A single training appears to be inadequate therefore more frequent skills-based trainings should be organized among health care workers in basic emergency obstetric care facilities.