ABSTRACT Title: Assess challenges faced in the labour ward at Narok District Hospital Broad objective: To determine challenges faced in the labour ward at Narok District Hospital. Methodology: A cross sectional study was done at Narok District hospital on staff and women attended to in labour ward. Convenience sampling patients was used with a sample size of 75, data collected using interviewer administered questionnaires, entered and analyzed on Microsoft excel and presented as tables, pie charts and graphs. Findings Average age of respondents was 24 years, majority (56%)of respondents were of the Maasai community. All care providers (12) used a partograph for each delivery and all respondents said that partographs were readily available in labour ward. Few healthcare providers (33%) checked all vitals according to standard protocol. 33% of those who didn’t attributed this to lack of instruments, and 33% to being overwhelmed by number of patients. All healthcare providers managed labour using a partograph and (83%) performed active labour. A number of care providers (41%) did not feel motivated to work in labour ward, (34%) felt overworked and 25% contented. Each respondent attended to an average of 8 patients per day. Many healthcare providers (89%) said language barrier hindered service delivery and all stated culture and traditional practices of women in Narok district hindered services delivery in labour ward.Majority (68%) attributed it to FGM, (42%) to gender inequality. Only (33%) of health care providers felt there were adequate supplies in labour ward. Majority (67%) said laboratory results were available on time. Majority of patient (54%) respondents were Primigravidae. Of the multiparous respondents, (58%) had had home delivery using traditional birth attendants. Respondents took an average of 3.6hrs to deliver after arriving at the hospital Majority of respondents rated services at the labour ward as Affordable. Many patient respondents (65%) rated service offered as Good and 35% thought it was Excellent. Conclusion i. Patients in labour ward are young adults with an age average of 24years. ii. Staff in labour ward are not motivated and feel overworked. iii. There is inconsistency in availability of supplies in labour ward. iv. Culture and traditional practices in Narok hinder optimum service delivery in labour ward.

Contents

DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................................... ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT.............................................................................................................................. iii

DEDICATION............................................................................................................................................. iv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS....................................................................................................................... v

ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................................ vii

CHAPTER ONE...........................................................................................................................................8

1.1 Background information .....................................................................................................................8

1.2 Study objectives................................................................................................................................10

Broad objective ...................................................................................................................................10

Specific objectives..............................................................................................................................10

1.3 Justification for the study..................................................................................................................10

CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................................11

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................................11

Introduction. ............................................................................................................................................11

CHAPTER THREE ....................................................................................................................................13

3.0 METHODOLOGY ...........................................................................................................................13

CHAPTER FOUR.......................................................................................................................................14

4.0 FINDINGS........................................................................................................................................14

APPENDIX I ..............................................................................................................................................25

APPENDIX II.............................................................................................................................................29

1.1 map of the DISTRICT: SHOWING the health services and facilities in the district....................29