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Table 1 Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Guidelines for PPC Services in Tanzania

From: Program assessment of efforts to improve the quality of postpartum counselling in health centers in Morogoro region, Tanzania

Timing and recommended service content for routine postpartum care visits

1. ≤24 h after delivery:

 • Clinical assessment of mothers and newborns within an hour after birth;

 • Infant feeding practices, skin-to-skin contact, and identification of danger signs for both mother and baby;

 • Prior to facility discharge providers to give counseling on danger signs, nutrition, family planning, self-care for the mother and child at home, as well as preventive measures such as bed nets and a supply of iron and vitamin A to the mother.

2. ≤7 days after birth: provider follow up with mother and baby about danger signs and continue health education.

3. 28 days after the birth: child immunization and examinations to check for continued recovery of mother and healthy development of child.

4. 42 days after the birth: child immunization and examinations to check for continued recovery of mother and healthy development of child.

5. Reproductive Child Health follow-up care for 1 year postpartum

6. Maternal and/or baby consultations as needed in event of complications

Basic PPC Care Package in Tanzania

Providers should:

 • Discuss breastfeeding, breast care or alternate infant feeding options for HIV-positive women;

 • Emphasize the Lactational Amenorrhoea Method (LAM) and later transition to other family planning methods;

 • Provide nutritional support;

 • Counsel on self-care and other healthy practices;

 • Discuss mother and baby danger signs;

 • Make complication readiness plans;

 • Offer HIV counseling and testing;

 • Provide immunizations;

 • Offer preventive measures (i.e., iron/folate supplements);

 • Provide antiretroviral medicine and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis as needed.