Providing care from a Western-only approach perpetuates a hierarchy of knowledge where only Western forms of doing business are appreciated and legitimised that disadvantages local communities in most cases.
Local people’s views on the evidence-based skilled-maternal-care in Mfuwe, Zambia: a qualitative study
(He/Him)
Assistant Professor
University of Amsterdam
Choolwe is an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University and also lectures at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).He specialises in development economics, political economy, decoloniality studies, decolonized research methods, global/public health.
Local-forms of mobilising and making care available should be made more visible and empowered. By discounting local efforts, western-based practitioners tend to exclude the only form of care that is actually more optimal for the people who are there.
About
This study showed that while evidence-based strategies remain useful in improving maternal care, they need to be carefully implemented in given context.
I was trying to demonstrate that there are people who live in different parts of the world and use their community’s strengths to navigate the lack of skilled care, and this kind of care should not be thrown out.
Key Findings
How to use
Policymakers should pay attention to the local efforts and comparative advantages relevant to the local communities
Policies should not follow a one-size-fits-all approach that has proven to be harmful to low income countries that might not have the realities that the policy is set up for
Policy should be more aligned with local contexts and give more credit to local knowledge
Want to read the full paper? It is available open access
Muzyamba, C. (2019). Local people’s views on the evidence-based skilled-maternal-care in Mfuwe, Zambia: a qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 19(135).
About this research
This research was independently conducted and did not receive funding from outside of the university.
Recommended for
UN Sustainable Development Goals
This research contributes to the following SDGs
About this research
This research was independently conducted and did not receive funding from outside of the university.
Recommended for
What it means
There are many efforts and useful skills and experiences in so-called low income spaces that policymakers in favour of International Development tend to ignore just by focusing on what in the West is considered as efficient care (e.g. facility-based care), but that care for them is absent in these places. By discounting local efforts, western-based practitioners tend to exclude the only form of care that is actually more optimal for the people who are there.
This local-based care (e.g. traditional birth attendants, peer support networks, support for post-partum stress disorder, local ambulances) is not a substitute for skilled care, but both types of care can work as compliments to one another.
Ultimately, local-forms of mobilising and making care available should be made more visible and empowered.
Methodology
This was a qualitative study where data was collected using various forms of focus group discussions and interviews. However, it has a small study population thereby limiting the external validity of the study.
Let your research make a social impact
Christina Takayama prepared this research following an interview with Dr Choolwe Muzyamba.
