Factors influencing implementation of Maternal health programs on Women in rural Nyamira County

Abstract

This is a descriptive research survey study of district health facilities and rural community on how implementation of maternal healthcare programs is influenced by various factors in rural parts of Nyamira county of Nyanza province, Kenya. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that influence effective implementation of maternal health programs on rural women in Nyamira County. The objectives of this study are; To establish the effect of financial resource availability on maternal health program implementation on women in rural parts of Nyamira county. To examine the contribution of program design, to successful implementation of health programs on women of rural parts of Nyamira county. To examine how service delivery influences implementation of health programs on women of rural parts ofnyamira county. To establish the effect of availability of trained health personnel on effective implementation of health programs on women of rural parts ofNyamira county. To examine how social cultural factors influence the success of health programs implementation on women of rural parts of Nyamira County. This study is significant in the sense that when maternal health programs are properly implemented by policy makers and key players, seamless motherhood transition is achieved, safeguarding the life and health of mother and child. This is in emphasis of their right to life and health care and a step towards achieving MDG5- the reduction of global maternal mortality by 75 percent by 20I5.The study used descriptive survey research design in carrying out a study of Nyamira county maternal health service programs to determine the extent to which specific factors are influencing implementation. The study also conducted interviews, administering questionnaires and the purposive sampling technique was used to conduct a focus group discussion with men, women and compound heads in selected families in the communities in order to obtain the data relevant to this study. Quantitative data analysis began with field editing to minimize errors done by field supervisor. Coding the open-ended data, entry, cleaning, transformation, analysis and interpretation. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was applied to run a descriptive analysis to produce frequency distribution, percentages, charts and tables. Regression analysis was used to determine the model that could be used to explain the factors that influence effective implementation of maternal health programs on rural women. Last part of the study discusses the findings of the study. The implications of the findings to the health of the community and most importantly, pregnant women are inferred. In addition, it provides other observation of maternal mortality that has been established from the field survey, key informant interviews and literature reviewed from secondary sources organized based on the objectives of the study, as well as conclusions and recommendations. It recommends more information; education and communication for the women in rural parts of Nyamira County about the existence and importance of seeking maternal health care services as education affects maternal health care service use by changing ideas about maternal health and attitudes toward risk prevention by using the maternal health care services, Provision of an adequate human resource and developing mechanisms of staff retention while reducing staff attrition by offering an encouraging welfare package and enabling environment to perform, Support, supervision and monitoring of safe motherhood activities among all health actors implementing such programs, and lastly, Socio-cultural aspects should be recognized by the health care providers and incorporated into the care provided at the health facilities.