Savannakhet

Researchers are evaluating whether pairs of male and female Village Health Volunteers/Workers (VHV/Ws) can improve women's attendance at the second postnatal care (PNC) visit in rural Sepone, Lao People's Democratic Republic. This quasi-experimental cluster study targets pregnant women and lactating mothers, aiming to understand if paired community health workers can better promote postpartum services compared to individual workers. The study is planned to take place from July 2024 to October 2026 in selected villages across two districts. In the intervention group, female-male pairs of community health workers will actively promote maternal and child health services in 19 villages within Sepone district. In contrast, 18 control villages in Vilabuly district will have community health workers operating individually without pairing. The intervention focuses on behavioral promotion of postnatal care services to increase uptake. Participants include women who have given birth between six weeks and twelve months before the study's surveys. Researchers will measure the uptake of the second postnatal care visit six weeks after delivery as the primary outcome. The study will involve surveys to collect data, and women unable to communicate with surveyors or who do not consent will be excluded. The total study duration covers baseline and end-line surveys within the specified timeline.