Abstract:

Introduction: The third delay is the delay in receiving adequate and appropriate treatment at the healthcare facility by mothers during and after pregnancy. A number of factors are attributable to this delay.

Aim: To identify factors that led to internal delay in management of obstetric emergency, to identify measures to address them and determine the lived experiences of mothers who received obstetric emergency care in Midigo HC IV.

Methods: Purely descriptive cross-sectional design; both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Sample size was 36 participants (33 health workers and 3 mothers).

Results: Factors like long hours of work due inadequate staffing (80%), inadequate refresher training on EmONC (66.7%), poor referral system, poor lighting system, inadequate blood transfusion services and hostility of the community led to delays. Qualitative analysis from mothers confirmed these factors. Measures that could be used to address them were; use of Workload Indicator of Staffing Needs (WISN) to adequately allocate staffs – 90%, holding periodic refresher training on EmONC -93.3%, availability of full-time doctors and anaesthetists (93.3%). Other measures were revamping referral system (93.3%).

Conclusion: Third delays in accessing Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) are still a huge challenge in Uganda _ Midigo HC IV.

Keywords: Workload Indicator of Staffing Needs (WISN), Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC), Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC).

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