Building on the Momentum: Leveraging Implementation Science Approaches to Advance Respectful Woman-Centered Care

Dodoma, Tanzania – Last week, the Africa Academy of Public Health (AAPH), through the USAID-supported Health Evaluation and Applied Research Development (HEARD) Project, participated in the Ministry of Health Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery (DNMS) Nursing and Midwifery Leaders Forum. Here, Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) Innovation Award Winners disseminated their achievements and / or findings following implementation of case studies led by the Ifakara Health Institute with support from University Research Co. LLC and other HEARD/ Implementation Science Collaborative (ISC) partners. Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), DNMS, the Tanzania Midwives Association (TAMA) and Thamini Uhai presented on the importance of measuring RMC performance, success in dissemination of Respectful and Compassionate Care (RCC) national guidelines, and urgency of initiating the birth companion option in maternity health services, respectively. In addition, the DNMS Director officially launched the RCC information sharing platform hosted by AAPH here.

It is encouraging to see the work that began in Tanzania seven years ago remain alive in high-level discussions on maximizing the roles of nurses and midwives in order to sustain health system resilience and improve the quality of care. This is the same work that influenced the passage of a resolution on RMC during the 2018 Health Ministers Conference. The resolution recognized RMC as a priority as well as the need to apply implementation science approaches to addressing disrespect and abuse as well as the advancement of RMC. 

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.