Author(s)

Joëlle Ambis Lumaya, Roger Mwimba Mbungu, Andy Muela Mbangama^*, Patrick Muyayalo Kahindo, Berry Nsiangangu Kinkenda, Guillaume Bisinkam Malingisi, Anselme Mulaila Mbungu, Jean Tshitadi Mukendi, Freddy Nkongolo Muamba, Jésual Banza Lotoy, Bienvenu Nkashama Kazadi, Adrien Umba Tandu, Christian Otem Ndesanzim, Gérard Mubengabantu Kabatantshi

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Clinics, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Context: Maternal and newborn mortality remains a public health concern worldwide. Although its ratio decreased by around 44% from 1990 to 2015, this rate remains high in developing regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Objectives: To evaluate the level of knowledge and practice of Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) of health providers in maternity hospitals in Kinshasa and to identify the causes of the non-practice of EmONC. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted from September 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017 in 21 medical facilities drawn from the 6 health districts of the city of Kinshasa. We analyzed data obtained by interviewing 675 healthcare providers from different professional categories working in gynecology departments and in delivery rooms. The 50% acceptability criterion was set to assess their knowledge and practice. Results: Among the providers, 385 of them (57%) had already heard of EmONC and most of them were general practitioners with a rate of 55.8% of all participants, but specialists were the ones who defined them well. Supervision by trained colleagues was the main source of information on EmONC with 32.5%, while structured training only concerned 24% of our providers and 43% of providers had no training in EmONC. The level of knowledge was deemed satisfactory with 56.4% for the whole population but below the average for general practitioners. 32.2% of our sample did not practice the EmONC and the lack of training was the main reason for this non-practice. Conclusion: EmONC as a strategy in the fight against maternal mortality is not known. Its functions are known within the framework of basic training and current practice. Structured training only concerned 24% of our service providers and 43% of them had no training in EmONC.

Obstetric and Neonatal Care, Emergency, Maternity, Kinshasa

Lumaya, J. , Mbungu, R. , Mbangama, A. , Kahindo, P. , Kinkenda, B. , Malingisi, G. , Mbungu, A. , Mukendi, J. , Muamba, F. , Lotoy, J. , Kazadi, B. , Tandu, A. , Ndesanzim, C. and Kabatantshi, G. (2022) Knowledge and Practice in Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) Providers in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12, 979-992. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2022.129081.