Outcome of interventions to improve the quality of reproductive health services provided by private health facilities in selected states in Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, as in many developing countries, the private health sector provides a significant proportion of reproductive health services. However, there are concerns about the quality of the reproductive health services provided by personnel operating in this sector. Few interventions exist to improve the quality of reproductive health services being provided by private practitioners. This three-year intervention project, which was implemented in Oyo, Ogun and Gombe States, was designed to improve the capacity of personnel working in the private sector to deliver quality reproductive health services to their clients. One hundred and thirty-nine privately owned health facilities participated in the project. Baseline data were collected from staff and clients using these facilities through self-completed questionnaires. A total of458 nurses/auxiliaries were trained to improve their counseling and service delivery skills; 138 proprietors/proprietresses were trained on total quality management to enhance the quality of reproductive health services; and 84 physicians' knowledge were updated on reproductive health/family planning, and post-abortion care. Provision of contraceptives, drugs for treatment of sexually transmitted infections, supply of equipment and development of educational materials were the other components of the intervention.