Objective To examine the status of maternal and child health care service provided by village clinics in minority areas of Sichuan province (Sichuan) and Tibet Autonomous Region (Tibet) and to provide references for making effective intervention plan.
Methods Using probability proportional to size (PPS) sampling, we conducted surveys on personnel, medical facilities and equipments, and service items of maternal and child health care in 30 villages of 2 counties in Tibet and 30 villages of 2 counties of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan between September and November 2016.
Results There were totally 23 staff specially assigned for maternal and child health care service in the 60 villages surveyed, averagely 0.38 staff for each village. Of the village clinics surveyed, 55 (91.67%) were not equipped with psychological behavioral assessment instruments for children and precise stopwatch; 50 (83.33%) did not reserve oral rehydration salts; 46 (76.67%) were not equipped with horizontal measuring bed; 36 (60.00%) did not reserve antibiotics for pneumonia treatment; 35 (58.33%) did not establish record cards for maternal and child health care; 33 (55.00%) were not equipped with weighting scale for small child; 53 (88.33%) did not carry out delivery service; 46 (76.67%) could not conduct psychological development counseling; 45 (75.00%) could not perform psychological behavioral development screening for children; 41 (68.33%) did not provide early development instruction; and 39 (65.00%) did not implement hearing health care for small children.
Conclusion The village clinics in minority areas of Sichuan and Tibet were of inadequate capability for maternal and child health care services because of lacking full-time staff and necessary facilities and equipments; the situation needs to be improved urgently.
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