Individual, organizational and system circumstances, and the functioning of a multi-country implementation-focused network for maternal, newborn and child health: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Uganda

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002115
• Publication Date: 2023-07-10T17:22:17Z
• Authors: Anene Tesfa; Catherine Nakidde; Kohenour Akter; Fatama Khatun; Kondwani Mwandira; Seblewengel Lemma; Gloria Seruwagi; Kasonde Mwaba; Mike English; Callie Daniels-Ho...; Nehla Djellouli; Tim Colbourn; Tanya Marchant
• Keywords: Capacity Building

Better policies, investments, and programs are needed to improve the integration quality of maternal, newborn, child health services. Previously, partnerships collaborations that involved multiple countries with a unified aim have been observed yield positive results. Since 2017, WHO partners hosted Quality Care Network [QCN], multi-country implementation network focused on improving neonatal, care. In this paper, we examine functionality QCN in different contexts. We focus circumstances contexts four countries: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda. each country, study was conducted over several consecutive rounds between 2019-2022, employing 227 key informant interviews major stakeholders members countries, 42 facility observations. The collected data were coded using Nvivo-12 software categorized thematically. showed individual, organizational system-level all played an important role shaping success but these levels inter-linked. Systems enabled leadership, motivated trained staff, created culture use critical for policy-making including addressing financing issues-to day-to-day practice improvement at front line. Some characteristics actively supported this, example, shared learning forums continuous learning, tracking progress, emphasising importance coordinated efforts towards common goal. However, inadequate system capacity also hampered functioning, especially face external shocks.