Person:
Chukwuma, Adanna
Author Name Variants
Fields of Specialization
HEALTH SYSTEM,
HEALTH FINANCING,
SERVICE DELIVERY,
POLITICAL ECONOMY,
ARMENIA,
RUSSIA
Degrees
ORCID
External Links
Departments
World Bank Health, Nutrition, and Population Global Practice
Externally Hosted Work
Contact Information
Last updated
September 14, 2023
Biography
Adanna is a Senior Health Specialist in the Health, Nutrition, and Population Global Practice, where she leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of investment operations. She has over ten years of experience advising national reforms to improve access to high-quality health care, through service delivery organization, strategic purchasing, revenue mobilization, and demand generation, including in Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, India, Moldova, Tajikistan, the South Caucasus Countries, and Romania. She has published on health care financing, access, and quality in peer-reviewed journals, including the Bulletin of the World Health Organization and Social Science and Medicine. Adanna obtained a medical degree from the University of Nigeria, a Master of Science in Global Health from the University of Oxford, and a Doctor of Science in Health Systems from Harvard University.
Publication Search Results
1 - 4 of 4
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Publication
'Once the delivery is done, they have finished': A Qualitative Study of Perspectives on Postnatal Care Referrals by Traditional Birth Attendants in Ebonyi State, Nigeria
(Springer Nature, 2017-12-19)While 79% of Nigerian mothers who deliver in facilities receive postnatal care within 48 h of delivery, this is only true for 16% of mothers who deliver outside facilities. Most maternal deaths can be prevented with access to timely and competent health care. Thus, the World Health Organization, International Confederation of Midwives, and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics recommend that unskilled birth attendants be involved in advocacy for skilled care use among mothers. This study explores postnatal care referral behavior by TBAs in Nigeria, including the perceived factors that may deter or promote referrals to skilled health workers. Differences in TBA referral before, during, and after delivery appear to reflect the TBAs understanding of the added value of skilled care for the client and the TBA, as well as the TBA’s perception of the implications of referral for her credibility as a maternal care provider among her clients. We also found that there are opportunities to engage TBAs in routine postnatal care referrals to facilities in Nigeria by using incentives and promoting a cordial relationship between TBAs and skilled health workers. Thus, despite the potential negative consequences TBAs may face with postnatal care referrals, there are opportunities to promote these referrals using incentives and promoting a cordial relationship between TBAs and skilled health workers. Further research is needed on the interactions between postnatal maternal complications, TBA referral behavior, and maternal perception of TBA competence. -
Publication
Quality of Antenatal Care Predicts Retention in Skilled Birth Attendance: A Multilevel Analysis of 28 African Countries
(Springer Nature, 2017-05-17)An effective continuum of maternal care ensures that mothers receive essential health packages from pre-pregnancy to delivery, and postnatally, reducing the risk of maternal death. However, across Africa, coverage of skilled birth attendance is lower than coverage for antenatal care, indicating mothers are not retained in the continuum between antenatal care and delivery. This paper explores predictors of retention of antenatal care clients in skilled birth attendance across Africa, including sociodemographic factors and quality of antenatal care received. Among ANC clients in the study sample, 66% received SBA. Adjusting for all demographic covariates and country indicators, the odds of retention in SBA were higher among ANC clients that had their blood pressure checked, received information about pregnancy complications, had blood tests conducted, received at least one tetanus injection, and had urine tests conducted. Higher quality of ANC predicts retention in SBA in Africa. Improving quality of skilled care received prenatally may increase client retention during delivery, reducing maternal mortality. -
Publication
The Impact of Monetary Incentives on Referrals by Traditional Birth Attendants for Postnatal Care in Nigeria
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2019-05-20)Gaps in postnatal care use represent missed opportunities to prevent maternal and neonatal death in sub-Saharan Africa. As one in every three non-facility deliveries in Nigeria is assisted by a traditional birth attendant (TBA), and the TBA’s advice is often adhered to by their clients, engaging TBAs in advocacy among their clients may increase maternal and neonatal postnatal care use. This study estimates the impact of monetary incentives for maternal referrals by TBAs on early maternal and neonatal postnatal care use (within 48 h of delivery) in Nigeria. Overall, 207 TBAs participated in this study: 103 in the treatment group and 104 in the control group. The intervention increased the proportion of maternal clients of TBAs that reported attending postnatal care within 48 h of delivery by 15.4 percentage points [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.9–22.9]. The proportion of neonatal clients of TBAs that reportedly attended postnatal care within 48 h of delivery also increased by 12.6 percentage points [95% CI: 5.9–19.3]. However, providers often did not address the issues that may have led to maternal and newborn postnatal complications during these visits. We show that motivating TBAs using monetary incentives for maternal postnatal care use can increase skilled care use after delivery among their maternal and neonatal clients, who have a higher risk of mortality because of their exposure to unskilled birth attendance. However, improving the quality of care is key to ensuring maternal and neonatal health gains from postnatal care attendance. -
Publication
Exploring Behavioral Competencies for Effective Medical Practice in Nigeria
(Sage Publications, 2020-12-01)Clinical performance varies due to academic, clinical, and behavioral factors. However, in many countries, selection of medical professionals tends to focus on exclusively academic ability and clinical acumen. Appropriate selection processes for medical professionals should consider behavioral factors, which may vary across contexts. This study was conducted to identify behavioral competencies considered relevant for effective medical practice in Nigeria, by medical students and doctors, and compared with other contexts. This study is one of the few to examine the perspectives of medical students and physicians on behavioral competencies for effective medical practice in an African country. We found differences in the perspectives of medical physicians and students, and in the prioritized competencies across countries. Our study illustrates the need for careful consideration in identifying subject matter experts and in generalizing competencies across contexts. Future research in this field in Nigeria should examine effective ways of testing for key behavioral competencies among medical students and for residency programs. Also, investigating the perspectives of medical faculty and administrators on important competencies, and exploring the generalizability of these competencies across cultures in Nigeria should be considered.