TITLE:
Patients’ Rights Charter and Hospitalizations in Maternity Wards: Status Report across Sixteen (16) Maternity Wards in Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou
AUTHORS:
Ouattara Adama, Nsahlai J. F. Christiane, Makoyo Komba Opheelia, Sawadogo Yobi Alexi, Kiemtoré Sibraogo, Ouédraogo Charlemagne
KEYWORDS:
Quality of Care, Patient’s Rights Charter, Maternity, Ouagadougou
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.15 No.9,
September
22,
2025
ABSTRACT: Objective: To assess the implementation status of the patients’ rights to respectful care charter and hospitalizations in sixteen maternity wards in Burkina Faso from July 1, 2020, to September 30, 2020. Patients and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical survey of 1,947 women about their in-patient experiences in sixteen maternity units. We conducted the survey in two phases: in person at the time of discharge from the maternity unit, and on the forty-fifth day postpartum. Results: One thousand nine hundred and forty-seven (1947) women discharged from the maternity wards and 1937 women seen on the forty-fifth day postpartum participated in our study. Sixteen health facilities, including three private and thirteen public, participated in the survey. The distribution of these health facilities based on the Burkina Faso health pyramid was: twelve level 1 facilities, 02 level 2 facilities, and 02 level 3 facilities. The average age was 27.21 years, and the age group most represented among women who had given birth was 20 to 24 years. Most women who had given birth were satisfied with their reception (96.3%) and their stay (93.8%). Except for articles 5 and 7, the articles of the Charter of Universal Rights of Women and Newborns were not respected in the provision of care in the sixteen maternity wards included in the study. Conclusion: Maternity ward conditions and respect for the universal rights of women and newborns are especially important for quality care. In our context, the hospitalization conditions were satisfactory; however, much work is needed to ensure respect for universal women’s rights.