WHO indicators for evaluation of maternal health care services, applicability in least developed countries: a case study from Eritrea.

The World Health Organization has recommended a number of process indicators to monitor the effect of health care programmes on maternal mortality. This study was therefore conducted to know if the recommended process indicators are useful also in the least developed countries. In 1994, all 17 health facilities offering maternal health care in a rural province in Eritrea were visited. An assessment was made of the obstetric services provided, obstetric complications, and accessibility of health facilities. The study revealed that necessary data were available for most indicators. The indicators were helpful to follow the coverage of obstetric care and to identify problems within the health care system. However, in countries where the coverage of assisted deliveries is low with few obstetric complications seen within the health care system, the indicators cannot be used as a tool to monitor the effect of maternal health care programmes on maternal mortality.