Africa-Press – Malawi. A study conducted by the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Clinical Research Programme has revealed that women who develop sepsis after childbirth continue to face serious gaps in care, despite growing access to health facilities.
Findings of the study, titled ‘Using Maternal Sepsis Patient Journeys to Map and Prioritise Barriers to Quality Maternal Healthcare in Malawi’, have been published in The Journal Global Health Action.
It was led by Yamikani Chimwaza in collaboration with the University of Liverpool’s Department of Women’s and Children’s Health.
According to the study, the research was based on a multidisciplinary stakeholder consultation workshop held in Blantyre in February 2024.
During the workshop, 28 maternal health stakeholders reviewed the care experiences of three women who were hospitalised with sepsis after childbirth at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre.
The study used patient journey narratives—firsthand accounts from the women themselves—to trace their experiences from the onset of illness to the point of receiving treatment.
According to the researchers, these narratives were analysed using a multiframework approach that included the Four Delays Model, Respectful Maternity Care, and the World Health Organisation Quality of Care framework.
The study reports that 19 key barriers to quality maternal care were identified. These included prolonged delays in receiving appropriate treatment, mistreatment by healthcare providers and substandard clinical care.
According to the findings, the women’s experiences revealed not only clinical shortcomings but also emotional trauma and psychological distress caused by poor communication and disrespectful treatment.
“Patient journeys provided honest and powerful insights into the entire care process…. They revealed not only clinical gaps but also emotional and psychological distress caused by poor communication and disrespectful treatment,” the study notes.
Lead author Chimwaza is quoted in the study as saying: “Improving access is only part of the solution. We must ensure that the care women receive is timely, dignified and effective, especially when complications like sepsis arise.”
The study concludes that patient journey mapping is a valuable tool for identifying systemic weaknesses in maternal healthcare.
According to the authors, this approach can complement traditional hospital audit data and should be integrated into quality improvement initiatives to ensure more responsive and respectful care.
In addition, the study calls for increased awareness of maternal sepsis among healthcare workers and the public.
It recommends that policymakers should use prioritisation exercises informed by patient experiences to guide targeted interventions aimed at improving maternal health outcomes.
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