Publication:

Transforming maternal health services through quality improvement: a five-year experience from a rural community health centre in Northern India

Background Improving maternal health remains a major public health priority in low- and middle-income countries. Strengthening antenatal care, institutional delivery, emergency obstetric services, and quality improvement (QI) is particularly important in rural settings. This study evaluated the association of integrated QI interventions with institutional delivery services and maternal healthcare utilization at Community Health Centre (CHC) Faridpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Methods A retrospective QI study used routinely collected health management information system (HMIS) data, institutional delivery registers, and programme records from April 2022 to July 2026. Interventions included high-risk pregnancy surveillance, strengthened antenatal care, maternal anaemia management, telephonic beneficiary follow-up, emergency obstetric preparedness, and continuous staff capacity building. Trends in institutional deliveries, normal deliveries, and Caesarean sections were analysed descriptively.

Results Institutional deliveries increased from 2,404 in FY 2022–23 to 2,809 in FY 2025–26, while Caesarean sections increased from 36 to 177. During April–July FY 2026–27, 810 institutional deliveries, including 48 Caesarean sections, were recorded. These changes occurred alongside strengthened clinical governance, community engagement, and maternal service utilization.

Conclusions A structured package of QI interventions was associated with increased institutional deliveries and strengthened emergency obstetric services at a rural CHC. This integrated, low-resource approach may provide a practical framework for strengthening maternal healthcare in similar rural settings.