2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

332993
Mapping of skills of paramedics in private health facilities – An approach to address human resource challenges in resource poor-setting


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 1:09 p.m. - 1:22 p.m.

Kumar Vikrant, Mr., State RMNCH+A Unit, State RMNCH+A Unit, Patna, India
Kuhu Maitra, Dr., Abt Associates, Bethesda, MD-20814
Hemant Shah, MS(Gen Surgery), MSc(PHDC), DLSHTM, PGDHHM, LLB, State RMNCHA Unit Care India, State RMNCH+A Unit, Care India, Patna, Bihar, India
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: Recently Public Health Foundation of India study reveals a supply-demand gap of about 65 lakh allied health professionals. These Human Resources for Health (HRH) shortfalls have resulted in hiring of untrained health manpower especially paramedics in private facilities with wide disparity in their knowledge and skill. This results in compromising with quality of care leading to poor health outcomes.

Methodology: Mapping was conducted to understand skill of paramedics. Project team designed a protocol/checklist to collect data from 50 private facilities across 8 districts of Bihar. The investigators were oriented on the checklist thereafter data was collected and quality ensured through onsite checking.

Results: The results indicate Three-fourth of the paramedics do not know how to wipe the newborn and almost same don’t have skill to wrap the baby immediately after birth. Almost 88% of paramedics don’t cut the cord within 1-3 minute of birth and how to properly tie the cord. No paramedics counsel mother after delivery on breastfeeding, only 4% of them commence breastfeeding within 1 hours and 12% extend support for same. Surprisingly no paramedics know about Kangaroo Mother Care and counselling.

Approximately one-fourth of the paramedics reported skill related Active Management of third stage of Labour (AMTSL). 22% paramedics were able to suction if meconium is present within one minute and no one were able to resuscitate within one golden minute of asphyxia.

Conclusion: There is critical skill gaps in the paramedics in private facilities and strategy should focus on skill building to saves lives of mother and child.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership

Learning Objectives:
Identify the critical skill gaps in paramedical staff in area of related to reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health services in private facilities. Assess the need of the mentoring of paramedical staff to improve Quality of Care (QOC).

Keyword(s): Hospitals, Maternal and Child Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been involved in managing 50 hospital networks in Bihar and worked on MCH, HIV/AIDs and Nutrition and system strengthening. Among my 14 years of experience I have worked with private sector for quite long time and my interest has been to strengthen private sector to deliver quality of care to the patients especially poor and disadvantaged community in South-Asian region.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3268.0: Strengthening health systems in developing settings