The Role of Family Health Workers in Providing Family Health Services in Sri Lanka
Journal Title: Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research - Year 2014, Vol 4, Issue 1
Abstract
Aims: The maternal mortality rate and Infant mortality rate are relatively low compared to neighbor countries. Child birth in hospitals, skilled care during pregnancy delivery and postpartum period, absolutely free health care facilities, freely available contraceptive services and high female literacy rate are the major contributory factors in improving the maternal health in Sri Lanka. Family Health Workers (FHW) working in the hospitals and field play an important role in providing health care services. This study is to evaluate the role of FHW in providing family health care services in Sri Lanka Study Design: This is the retrospective study of the reports from 1935 to 2012 of Ministry of Health, Family Health Bureau, Health Education Bureau, Department of census and statistics, and central bank of Sri Lanka were reviewed. The mothers admitted for confinement were interviewed about the services rendered by the FHW by the staff of the maternity unit. Results: In a survey in the year 2007, about 93% of the FHW were resident in their stations round the clock. 95% of the pregnant mothers were seen more than 5 times during pregnancy by FHW. 98% of the delivered were at the hospitals and attended by the skilled healthcare personnel including FHW. 78% of the delivered mothers were seen by the FHW within 10 days of delivery. The maternal mortality ratio in Sri Lanka declined from 265 per 10,000 deliveries in 1935 to 1 per 10,000 about 65 years later. Conclusion: Family health workers are the cornerstone of health care delivery system especially in the remote and rural areas of Sri Lanka. They are involved in the care during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum period and their work is supervised and collaborated with the adjacent hospitals. Studies had shown that they contributed substantially to improve the health care in Sri Lanka.
Authors and Affiliations
M. Najimudeen, K. Sachchithanantham
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP348581
- DOI 10.9734/BJMMR/2014/4612
- Views 65
- Downloads 0
Comparison of PMMA Bone Cement Dosage Used in Vertebroplasty and Balloon Kyphoplasty: A Meta-analysis of Data from Randomized Controlled Trials
Background and Aim: Vertebroplasty (VP) and balloon kyphoplsty (BKP) are widely used to treat patients in whom the pain, arising from vertebral body fracture(s), is refractory to conservative treatment(s). Currently, pol...
Utility of Per Vessel Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Score in Symptomatic Patients Undergoing Coronary Computed Tomography in Predicting Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events: Single Center Experience and Literature Review
Background: Atherosclerotic vascular disease remains a significant etiology of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is associated with increased stroke incidence and coronary athero...
Hereditary Epidermolysis Bullosa in Saudi Arabia, Epidemiological, Pathological, Ultrastructural Study of Fourteen Patients
Hereditary epidermolysis bullosa (EB) constitutes a genodermatosis group with variable clinical severity. Three main types were identified according to electron microscopy study as follows: simple, junctional, and dystr...
Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in Coronary Artery Disease and Cardiac Dysfunction
Introduction: Vitamin D (VD) deficiency may be an important neglected factor in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. Aim: Investigate the relation between VD level and both exercise parameters...
The Pirani Scoring System is Effective in Assessing Severity and Monitoring Treatment of Clubfeet in Children
Background: Pirani scoring system is one of the classification systems and is simple, easy to use in the management of clubfoot; however, there is paucity of studies using Pirani system to determine the severity and moni...