Leveraging Implementation Science Approaches to Advance Respectful Care in Tanzania
Dodoma, Tanzania – Implementation Science Collaborative (ISC) partners shared implementation evidence to push for more action toward promoting respectful and compassionate care during a March 2023 Tanzania Nursing and Midwifery Leaders Forum. During this forum hosted by Tanzania’s Ministry of Health Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery (DNMS), the DNMS Director officially endorsed and launched the Africa Academy for Public Health’s (APPH) Respectful and Compassionate Care (RCC) information sharing platform, which is a pillar in the ISC’s network of knowledge hubs seeking to make resources more available to decision-makers.
The Ministry of Health Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery (DNMS) Nursing and Midwifery Leaders Forum, March 2023
Dr. Mary Sando, CEO of the Africa Academy for Public Health
USAID HEARD Project supported case studies conducted by Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation (CCBRT) in Tanzania, the Tanzania Midwives Association, Thamini Uhai and the Tanzanian Training Center for International Health with technical support from AAPH and Ifakara Health Institute. Partners shared findings from their case studies exploring promising approaches for addressing respectful care, covering topics such as how to measure respectful care routinely, provider training approaches, success in dissemination of RCC national guidelines, and urgency of initiating the birth companion option in maternity health services.
Partners focused on the advancement of respectful care in Tanzania for more than a decade have influenced national policies and guidelines and continue to inform discussions on what interventions work best and how. Efforts in Tanzania and Kenya previously influenced the passage of a Regional Ministerial Resolution on respectful care in the East Central Southern Africa Health region. The resolution recognized RMC as a priority as well as the need to apply implementation science approaches to addressing disrespect and abuse.
Check out the “Catalyzing Change” section at iscollab.org/respectful-maternal-care to learn more about the ISC’s work in the area of RMC and to download the various knowledge products generated.
