Research Proposal Midwife in Senegal Dakar – Free Word Template Download with AI

Maternal health remains a critical public health challenge in Senegal, with the country experiencing a maternal mortality ratio of 533 deaths per 100,000 live births (WHO, 2023), significantly higher than the global average. Dakar, as Senegal's capital and most populous urban center (population ~4 million), faces unique pressures including rapid urbanization, healthcare system strain, and disparities in access to quality maternal care. While midwives are recognized as essential frontline providers for safe childbirth and reproductive health services, their capacity and integration into Dakar's healthcare structure remain insufficient. This Research Proposal addresses the urgent need to investigate barriers facing Midwifes in Dakar, Senegal, and develop context-specific strategies to optimize their contributions to reducing maternal mortality.

Dakar's healthcare landscape is characterized by overcrowded public facilities, uneven distribution of skilled birth attendants (including midwives), and persistent cultural preferences for traditional birth attendants in certain neighborhoods. According to the Senegalese Ministry of Health (MoH) 2022 report, only 35% of births in Dakar occur in health facilities with skilled personnel, and Midwife shortages are a primary constraint. Many qualified midwives face challenges including inadequate infrastructure, limited access to emergency obstetric equipment, low morale due to high workloads (often managing 10-15 deliveries per day), and insufficient supervision. Furthermore, cultural beliefs in some Dakar communities (e.g., Fann, Pikine) hinder timely facility-based childbirth. This gap directly contributes to preventable maternal morbidity and mortality in Dakar, undermining Senegal's National Health Strategy 2030 goals for universal health coverage.

1. To conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current working conditions, job satisfaction, and professional challenges faced by midwives in public and private healthcare facilities across key Dakar districts (e.g., Pikine, Guédiawaye, Dakar-Ville).
2. To identify socio-cultural barriers influencing women's utilization of midwife-led services within Dakar communities.
3. To evaluate the existing referral pathways for emergency maternal complications between midwives and obstetricians in Dakar's urban healthcare network.
4. To co-develop evidence-based, contextually appropriate recommendations with stakeholders (midwives, health managers, community leaders) to strengthen midwifery services in Dakar, Senegal.

This mixed-methods study will be conducted over 18 months within Dakar. It employs a sequential explanatory design:

A. Quantitative Phase (Months 1-6)

• Sample: Stratified random sampling of 150 midwives across 30 public health centers and private clinics in Dakar.
• Data Collection: Structured questionnaires assessing workload, resources, supervision, job satisfaction (using validated WHO tools), and perceived barriers. Facility audits will document equipment availability (e.g., oxytocin, delivery kits).

B. Qualitative Phase (Months 7-14)

• Focus Group Discussions (FGDs): 8 FGDs with women aged 15-49 in high-demand Dakar neighborhoods, exploring decision-making processes for childbirth location and trust in midwives.
• Key Informant Interviews (KIIs): 20 KIIs with Dakar health district managers, MoH representatives, community leaders, and traditional birth attendants to map referral systems and cultural dynamics.

C. Co-Creation Workshop (Month 16)

A participatory workshop involving midwives (50%), health administrators (30%), and community representatives (20%) to analyze findings and draft implementation strategies. All data will be analyzed using NVivo for qualitative data and SPSS for quantitative analysis, ensuring robust triangulation.

This research directly targets a critical gap in Senegal's health system priorities. Strengthening the role of midwives is central to the Government of Senegal's "Vision 2035" and aligns with the African Union's Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality (CARMMA). In Dakar, where urban maternal health outcomes lag behind rural targets (Dakar MMR: 610 vs. Rural: 490 per MoH), empowering midwives offers a scalable, cost-effective intervention. Findings will provide actionable data for the Dakar Regional Health Directorate to reallocate resources, improve midwifery education curricula through Senegalese universities (e.g., Cheikh Anta Diop University), and integrate community health workers with midwives for outreach. Critically, this Research Proposal prioritizes local knowledge – solutions developed will be rooted in Dakar's specific socio-cultural and infrastructural realities, not imported models.

We anticipate three key deliverables: (1) A detailed report on midwife workforce challenges in Dakar, including policy briefs for the MoH; (2) A community engagement toolkit to improve trust in midwifery services, developed with local women's associations; and (3) A pilot implementation framework for enhancing referral systems between midwives and emergency obstetric units. These outcomes will directly support Dakar's goal of achieving 90% facility-based births by 2027. Long-term, the research will contribute to Senegal's broader health system strengthening agenda by demonstrating how optimizing Midwife roles can reduce maternal deaths without massive infrastructure investment – a model adaptable across urban Senegal and West Africa.

All participants will provide informed consent in French or Wolof. Data anonymity will be maintained through coding, with sensitive information (e.g., facility shortages) reported de-identified to Dakar health authorities for systemic action. The research team includes Senegalese midwives and community health workers to ensure cultural appropriateness and trust-building within Dakar communities.

The crisis in maternal care access in Dakar, Senegal demands urgent, evidence-based solutions centered on the existing midwifery workforce. This Research Proposal presents a rigorous plan to uncover the specific challenges and opportunities for midwives within Dakar's urban context. By placing Dakar at the heart of this study – examining its distinct neighborhoods, health facilities, and cultural dynamics – we move beyond generic recommendations toward interventions that can save lives *now*. Empowering midwives in Senegal's capital is not merely a healthcare strategy; it is a fundamental step toward gender equity and sustainable development in urban Africa. This research will equip Senegalese policymakers with the practical evidence needed to transform maternal health outcomes for mothers across Dakar.

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