The sustainability of new health service interventions has become increasingly important to both developing country governments and international assistance donors. The extent to which services are maintained after the conclusion of external aid is not well documented, and the factors that contribute to or work against continuation of a program are not well understood.
This paper presents the results of a study to assess the sustainability of postabortion care (PAC) services in a tertiary-level public hospital located in metropolitan Lima, Peru. From 1996-98, a PAC service delivery intervention was implemented and tested in the facility, resulting in marked improvements in such outcomes as the quality of clinical services, delivery of postabortion contraceptive counseling and methods, length of patient stay, and costs of care to the hospital and patient.
Three years after the conclusion of the original research, the authors returned to the hospital for intensive data collection, which included exit interviews with 120 postabortion patients, review of the surgical logbook, time-motion observation of patients from arrival at the hospital to departure, assessment of supplies and equipment, and 25 in-depth interviews with key providers and policymakers. This paper will report how well the hospital has maintained the PAC services, describe any changes in outcomes, and explain factors that have helped or hindered the sustainability of the services.
The study is the first to examine the sustainability of PAC services, and should provide useful information on how to plan and implement services with the greatest potential for long-term sustainability.
Learning Objectives: Describe key factors affecting the sustainability of postabortion care services
Keywords: Post-Abortion Care, Sustainability
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Ipas and
Ministry of Health of Peru
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Ms. Benson is an employees of Ipas, an international reproductive
health organization. Ipas provides technical assistance in training and services, research and evaluation,
and policy, and produces and distributes MVA instruments.