ERIC Number: EJ970359
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1529-1944
EISSN: N/A
Post-Project Assessment of Community-Supported Emergency Transport Systems for Health Care Services in Tanzania
Ahluwalia, Indu B.; Robinson, Dorcas; Vallely, Lisa; Myeya, Juliana; Ngitoria, Lukumay; Kitambi, Victor; Kabakama, Alfreda
International Electronic Journal of Health Education, v15 p1-15 2012
We examined the continuation of community-organized and financed emergency transport systems implemented by the Community-Based Reproductive Health Project (CBRHP) from 1998 to 2000 in two rural districts in Tanzania. The CBRHP was a multipronged program, one component of which focused on affordable transport to health facilities from the villages. In 2006-2007, we assessed the existence and continuation of community-supported emergency transport systems. A total of 249 persons in 29 villages were surveyed, and qualitative data were collected to identify features of community-supported transport systems that have continued. Twelve villages reported having an emergency transport system for obstetrical/medical emergencies to a dispensary/district hospital. Six systems continue to be community supported and have been functioning since CBRHP activities ended in 2000. In these six villages, the modes of transport include tricycles with platforms, canoes, oxcarts, and stretchers. A total of 272 people have used the emergency transport system since its implementation; 47% were pregnant women experiencing obstetrical difficulties. In 2006, 35% (29/84) of users were women with obstetrical difficulties. The community-supported transport systems provide a critical service to villagers in rural areas who experience health emergencies that necessitate facility level care and while some communities continue to maintain support for these systems, other do not. Future research should focus on examining long-term sustainability of community level efforts aimed at increasing access to health care facilities and explore reasons for community level decisions to continue or discontinue activities over time, to fully understand the process of sustainability. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Females, Access to Health Care, Pregnancy, Health Facilities, Rural Areas, Foreign Countries, Obstetrics, Medical Services, Transportation, Sustainability, Interviews, Measures (Individuals), Community Surveys
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Tanzania
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A