In conclusion, planning and management of health facilities offering
maternity care should always include participation from community
members, who can help to guide health professionals toward
meeting cultural and social expectations and needs during labor and
delivery, and thus contribute to maximizing utilization and quality
of care. This might include agreement with health managers about
allowing partners or other relatives into delivery rooms, decoration
or furnishing of delivery rooms, and arrangements to assure privacy
such as screens and curtains. At rural health center level the community may also have a key role in assuring provision of the second
attendant to assist at the time of delivery, for example by
supporting community health volunteer workers or traditional birth
attendants in this role where a second trained midwife is not available.
Community mobilization is also important in providing security
and support for trained staff deployed in remote locations so that
they are encouraged to remain in post and able to fulfill their role.