Managing Maternal Sepsis in Resource Poor Health Facilities in Africa

This photovoice study highlights the challenges mothers face in delivering babies in resource poor health facilities in Africa.  In Malawi, post-partum sepsis accounts for 9.9% of all maternal deaths. A report on the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths stressed deficiencies in the prompt recognition and inadequate management of maternal sepsis, concluding that the use of early warning scores and a structured approach to patient monitoring, alongside an educational programme to improve the recognition and management of maternal sepsis would likely improve sepsis care. A care ‘bundle’ approach to sepsis management is effective in reducing mortality and morbidity caused by sepsis. 

This image was collected as part of a sepsis management project that was initiated in 15 health facilities of 2 districts in Malawi. The intervention uses a bundle approach to sepsis management and is developed by the University of Birmingham in partnership with PACHI (Parent And Child Health Initiative) a research NGO in Malawi. The participants include the health care providers from these facilities and their patients. The sepsis management intervention received positive feedback from health care practitioners in all study sites of Malawi.