TITLE:
Evaluation of Perinatal Mortality Surveillance System in the City of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
AUTHORS:
Munekayi Padingani, Gladys Marape, Zanele Hwalima, Lucia Takundwa, Notion Gombe, Gerald Shambira, Tsitsi Juru, Mufuta Tshimanga
KEYWORDS:
Evaluation, Perinatal Mortality, Surveillance System, Maternity Centres, Bulawayo City, Zimbabwe
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Epidemiology,
Vol.11 No.2,
April
22,
2021
ABSTRACT: Background: In Zimbabwe, the perinatal mortality surveillance system is based on passive reporting of perinatal deaths using the perinatal death notification forms. Mpilo hospital recorded 74 perinatal deaths from January to September. No death was reported to the city and no perinatal mortality forms were found at the health information section. We aimed to assess the performance of perinatal mortality surveillance system in Bulawayo city. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in all the maternity centres in Bulawayo City in 2011 using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for evaluating public health surveillance systems. We used interviewer-administrated questionnaires to collect data. We used a checklist to assess availability of resources. Perinatal death notification forms were reviewed. Results: We interviewed 67 workers. Knowledge on the system was poor. Eight (12%) were trained in IDSR (Integrated Disease Surveillance Response) and three (4.5%) were inducted on the perinatal mortality surveillance system. Sixty-one (91%) regarded the system as useful. City and private maternity centres were not notifying perinatal deaths due to lack of forms. In central hospitals, delay in notification was due to workload and shortage of trained staff. Conclusion: Poor knowledge on the system, lack of induction and trained staff could have contributed to the non-performance of the system in the City of Bulawayo. Most participants reported the system as useful. Lack of documentation made it difficult to follow up on actions plans.