TBA Training for Baghicha

Using Pictures

Frontier PHC will begin a Safe Motherhood Project for 3 years in Baghicha and Ismailia in December, 2012 funded by the Hillman Medical Education Fund.  The project builds on FPHC’s extensive experience in training and follow-up of TBAs.  Frontier Primary Health Care will be utilizing their recently acquired expertise in participatory action research to document the successes and challenges of the project and attempt to tease out the key factors to sustainability for TBAs in rural Pakistan through interactive methods before and after the project.  

Young mothers

Some of the recent reports about TBAs as skilled attendants have been less than supportive however groups such as FPHC with long experience in supporting them report much success.  The reason for this divergence of opinion appears to lie in two main features: TBAs need to be linked with the local health system and they need to receive ongoing supportive supervision.  While such conditions are required by all health workers, many TBAs, once trained have been virtually left on their own.  Frontier PHC, recognizing the key role TBAs play in ensuring safe motherhood and their value to the community, has provided strong links to the health services as well as ensured ongoing supervision by midwives and lady health visitors. 

TBA Training in Groups

Candidates will be drawn from the community with preference to those currently working in their own community as traditional birth attendants and recognized by the community as birth attendants. Twenty TBAs will be trained and followed for three years along with 20 male CHWs.  TBAs and CHWs will be provided with basic kits consisting of for TBAs- soap, gloves, Mama Kits, ties, razor blades, rubber sheets.

Practice Models

The Frontier health unit in Ismailia will be used as a base MCH center, equipped ad supplied to serve an anticipated 5400- 6000 deliveries over the 3 years (1800-2000 per year ) coming from Baghicha Refugee camp, Ismailia and the surrounding area.  The MCH center will function as a 24 hour community delivery center.

Trainers Confer

TBAs will be encouraged to work in pairs.  At the end of their training they will be provided with a cell phone so they can be easily contacted.  Their phone numbers will be publicised in the target community.  It is expected they see pregnant women at regular intervals during the pregnancy and contacted by family members when labour begins. To ensure retention of the TBAs small financial incentives from the community and from the project will be provided.    Additionally basic literacy will be provided during the training.  Recognition by the community is expected to be a motivator in addition to the ongoing supportive supervision and close link to the health care system.