Abstract

The world is making significant progress in reducing the number of women and children dying from preventable causes. Bangladesh is also on track. The objective of this study was to strengthen maternal and child health service delivery in Kapasia and Sreepur Upazila of Gazipur district using SARA tool. The present assessment was a cross-sectional quantitative assessment. This evaluation was performed between January 2015 and December 2015. A sample of 50 health facilities was randomly evaluated. Sixty-two percent of all facilities (n = 50) in the study area were ready to provide general services such as basic services, basic equipment, standard precautions for infection prevention and diagnostic capacity, and essential medicines for patients. The family planning readiness score was 84%, but the antenatal service readiness score was 53% (n = 36). The basic preparation score for emergency obstetric care was 66% among facilities providing delivery services (n = 16). It should be noted that no health center had all the items available for basic obstetric care. Among all health facilities (n = 50), only 28% of health facilities had a full obstetric care service. The child immunization readiness score for Kapasia and Sreepur was 82%; however, only 4% of the facilities had all the trace elements available for child immunization services (n = 36). The total availability of services and the availability of health facilities to provide maternal and child health services did not reach the level necessary to meet future goals. Problems were identified and should be addressed accordingly. A large-scale census survey of all facilities in the study area would provide a better understanding of service availability and readiness.

Key words: Service availability, service readiness, maternal and child health services, Bangladesh health system, SARA tool.