The dataset baseline study of the project on optimizing care for newborns and children in Benshangul-Gumuz and Afar is generated due to the project implementation of KOICA/UNICEF project focus on Benshangul Gumuz and Afar Region titled Optimizing care for newborns and children in Benshangul-Gumuz and Afar Regions, Ethiopia between 2020-2024. The objective of the study was to conduct a baseline survey and establish benchmarks for project monitoring, evaluation, and learning on selected key MNCH outcome indicators of the project in five intervention zones of Asossa, Kamashi, and Metekel in BG and administrative zone one and two in Afar and to identify gaps and challenges on essential MNCH services with respect to availability, quality, and utilization at PHCUs, hospitals and communities in order to develop an adjustment plan including innovative approaches to deal with these barriers. The baseline survey applied a mixed methods design where quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently and covers mothers who have under 12 months infants (for assessment of maternal health services) and their infants whose ages are under 12 months (for assessment of newborn health services)and children from 12 to 59 months old (for assessment of child health services). ECD assessment was done for children whose age is 24 to 59 months in Zone One and Zone Two of Afar Region and Asossa Zone, Kamashi Zone, and Maokomo Special Woreda of BG Region. Major variables and indicators include:

age of the mother, age of newborn/child, marital status, educational status of the mother, educational status of the husband,occupation of the mother,occupation of the husband, wealth index, availability of MNCH essential drugs, supplies and equipment at PHCU level and hospitals,NICU supplies and equipment availability in hospitals where there is NICU, availability of medical supplies for under-five children at hospitals, availability of labor and delivery unit supplies and equipment at hospitals, availability of ANC essential drugs at the HCs ,availability of PNC essential drugs at the HCs, availability of under-five essential drugs at the HCs, ANC supplies and equipment availability at HCs ,status of labor and delivery room supplies at HCs ,status of newborn corner supplies and functional equipment at HCs ,status of PNC supplies and functional equipment at HCs, availability of equipment and supplies at the HPs, functionality of catchment-based mentorship in the primary healthcare and hospitals,mentorship and supportive supervision activities on MNCH at HCs ,presence and functionality of catchment-based mentorship at HPs,Availability/functionality of the quality improvement system in the primary healthcare and hospitals. Quantitative data was exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis and the quality of MNCH services was assessed by using a Monitoring Logic Model developed by the Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health.

• maternal
• newborn and child health

Unpublished

This baseline study applied a mixed methods design where quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently. The sample size for the household survey was estimated using single population proportion formulae; a multistage sampling technique was applied to select study subjects. Sixteen woredas (8 from each region) were selected using Probability Proportional to Size (PPS). For the quantitative household survey, structured questionnaire interviews were applied while structured questionnaire interviews and observations were applied for the quantitative health facility survey. For the quantitative component of the survey (both household and health facility surveys), data were collected using CAPI designed in CSPro. Quantitative data was exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis, and the quality of MNCH services was assessed by using a Monitoring Logic Model developed by the Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health. IRB approval was obtained from Jimma University and the Interviewers obtained informed verbal consent from the respondents.

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