Project News

The midwife supervisors supposed to coach midwives at health facilities received the training in December 2013 prior to the in-service training for the midwives. For the training, the topics were carefully selected from Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal care (EmONC) modules based on the need from the practice. Also, the session of theory and practice of supportive supervision was added to this training. The midwife supervisors from Tadjourah hospital could not able to join, though total 24 of all other supervisors and acting-supervisors attended the training.

The checklist for midwifery operational procedure for assessing the basic obstetric and neonatal care provided by each midwife in the site was introduced during the supportive supervision session. The participants carried out a group work and a role play in order to discuss the content of the checklist, so that the results of the work were reflected on the review. In the training, it became clear from the session itself and the discussions with the facilitators and the participants that a number of midwives had had difficulties to fill the partogramme (record of delivery) correctly. Also, there were some subjects rose to tackle, such as inadequacy of a referral letter, or incorrect implementation of a necessary examination and collection of information before transferring the patient.

In order to tackle the problem of filling the partogramme found in the training in December 2013, the project organized a taskforce meeting to study this record of delivery, inviting trainers from Higher Institute of Health Sciences (ISSS) and from Ministry of Health as well as midwife supervisors. Five trainers and supervisors attended the meeting.

The participants studied the case used in the training and were asked to fill the actual form. Detailed guidance and advice were given by an obstetrician and gynecologist. After the group work, the participants commented like "It was really interesting and also, I learned a lot". The project also managed to gain some information to revise the lectures and presentations, therefore, it was a meaningful opportunity for each other.