Assessing Service Readiness for Quality Antenatal Care Service in Public Health Institutions of Lumbini Province, Nepal-A Study from Service Providers Perspective.

Background: Health service readiness is a crucial factor in delivering high-quality antenatal care (ANC). Health facilities must be equipped with the necessary tools, medications, and adequately trained personnel to provide effective ANC services. Inadequate service readiness can lead to decreased utilization of ANC services, potentially increasing the risk of complications and maternal morbidity. Ensuring a high standard of care is essential to reducing maternal and newborn mortality and achieving the health-related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. This study aimed to assess the service readiness for quality ANC service by public health institutions in Lumbini Province. Materials and Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 30 public health facilities in Lumbini Province, Nepal, using a 30-cluster sampling method. Face-to-face interviews with ANC service providers were carried out using a pretested structured questionnaire to assess service readiness. A validated observation checklist was used to evaluate the availability of drugs, equipment, and other essential items. Results: Among the 30 ANC service providers surveyed, 23.3% of the surveyed providers do not supply folic acid supplements and 10% of the institutions do not provide tetanus diphtheria (TD) vaccination. 33% of the health facilities lack appropriate IEC and BCC materials and 43.3% of the providers reported that their health institutions lack Reproductive Health (RH) clinical protocols and related guidelines and 44.7% of health institutions surveyed do not have quality assurance activities. Conclusion: This study identified several gaps in the critical aspects of service readiness in the health institutions of Lumbini province. These deficiencies directly impact the ability of healthcare providers to deliver effective, timely, and standardized care to pregnant women. Considering these findings, it is essential that health institutions in Lumbini province need to ensure the resources are consistently available, enable healthcare providers to deliver more comprehensive, standardized, and high-quality care.