Abdulaziz Hussen

Leveraging digital solutions to improve the quality of maternal healthcare in low-resource settings

Samenvatting

Maternal mortality remains a critical global challenge, with one woman dying every two minutes due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Although the Maternal Mortality Ratio has declined since 2000, progress slowed during the Sustainable Development Goals era, requiring a 14.8% annual reduction to meet 2030 targets. This thesis assessed maternal healthcare utilisation and adherence to evidence-based recommendations in Ethiopia, and documented processes and lessons learned from the implementation of WHO SMART guidelines. Findings reveal gaps in service quality, utilisation, and measurement approaches in Ethiopia. Moreover, underscores the potential of digital health solutions to improve the quality of maternal healthcare and accelerate progress toward global targets.