Evaluation of Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care in the Boulmiougou Health District in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Objective: To assess the provision of emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) in the Boulmiougou health district of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Methods: This was a longitudinal, descriptive, study conducted at the Boulmiougou Medical Centre with Surgical Antenna in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It was conducted over 6 months between 1st May and 1st November 2022. Our study included all patients who met the escapee’s criteria and who were managed at the study site. The participatory observation method was used for data collection, which focused on comprehensive emergency obstetric care as defined in the WHO evaluation guide. We measured the availability of obstetric care, the time taken to provide it and the elements of its monitoring.

Results: The evaluation involved 85 patients who had escaped from hospital. Medical resuscitation was administered within the first 30 minutes for almost all patients. Surgical care was administered within 30 minutes of admission for 35% of patients and within 60 minutes for 52% of patients. Blood transfusion was administered within the first two hours in 41% of patients. In cases of anemia, transfusion was only possible in 25% of patients. In cases of severe hemorrhage, transfusion was only possible in 75% of cases. Antihypertensive treatment was administered within 30 minutes in cases of hypertension and pregnancy. In cases of septicemia, 43% of patients were only able to receive antibiotic treatment after 2 hours.

Conclusion: The quality of management of obstetric complications is inadequate at Boulmiougou Hospital in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The lack of rigour and promptness in the management of these pathologies contributes to worsening maternal morbidity and mortality, which is already too high in our context. Specific staff training and the availability of blood products and emergency medicines in our departments would be a good way of reducing maternal morbidity and mortality.