Center for Implementation Sciences in Health - CIS

🌟 Revisiting This Important Research 🌟

A qualitative study in Ethiopia highlights how beliefs and perceptions shape the care of preterm newborns.

The findings show that stigma, myths, and low expectations for survival across families, communities, and healthcare providers can contribute to fear, blame, and reduced care-seeking and support for preterm babies.

👉 Addressing these deep-rooted attitudes is essential to improving outcomes and ensuring better care for preterm newborns.

This research was conducted as part of the formative assessment for the Special Lactation Support Implementation Research (SLS-IR) project under the CIS.

📌 Get the Full Paper on: https://lnkd.in/dKHm2nPd

Closing Plenary is taking place!

Check the following link to watch live.

IMNHC 2026 Closing Plenary Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

🌟 Highlights from 🌟

Day three of the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference ( ) is currently underway, bringing together global experts, partners, and practitioners dedicated to advancing maternal and newborn health.

As Center for Implementation Sciences in Health CIS, we are proud to be part of this global platform engaging in ongoing discussions, sharing experiences, and learning across our programs.

Join us, as we continue to participate and contribute to conversations that drive impact and strengthen health systems.

If you are at , CIS invites you all to join the sessions and the conversations!!

🌟We are pleased to announce that the Center for Implementation Sciences in Health - CIS will be participating in the International Maternal New-born Health Conference ( ) 2026, taking place in Nairobi from March 23–26, 2026.

As an implementation research institute, CIS remains committed to generating evidence, strengthening health systems, and supporting the scale-up of proven interventions within the already existing system that improve maternal and newborn outcomes.

Our participation reflects our continued dedication to bridging the “know–do” gap and contributing to both national and global efforts to advance maternal and newborn health.

Launching at Jijiga, Somali Region

📌 Launching of the SLL360 Program in Jigiga, Somali Region📌

On March 11, 2026, the Saving Little Lives 360 (SLL360) Program was officially launched in Jigjiga, Somali Region, with the objective of strengthening neonatal care services and improving the survival of premature and vulnerable newborns. The launch event was organized by the Somali Regional Health Bureau in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the Center for Implementation Sciences in Health CIS at Addis Ababa University.

The program is implemented through a collaborative effort between the Somali Regional Health Bureau, the Federal Ministry of Health, and the Center for Implementation Science at Addis Ababa University, with financial support from Gates Foundation.

During the launch event, Muhamud Mohamed Abdi, Deputy Minister of Health, highlighted the importance of strengthening neonatal care services to reduce mortality among premature babies. He emphasized that the SLL360 program will significantly contribute to improving the quality of care for newborns and stressed the importance of strong collaboration among government institutions, health facilities, and development partners.

A key highlight of the launch was the handover of essential neonatal and maternal health medical equipment. Through financial support from Gates Foundation, medical equipment valued at 12 million Ethiopian Birr was officially provided to strengthen neonatal care services. In addition, desktop computers were supplied to support program implementation and improve data management.

🔴 The launch of the SLL360 program marks an important step toward strengthening neonatal health services and improving survival outcomes for premature babies in the Somali Region.

🎉 Happy International Women’s Day🎉

We celebrate the achievements and contributions of the incredible women in our team, across our community, and around the world.

This year’s theme, “Right. Justice. Action.”, calls on all of us to take meaningful steps to ensure women have equal representation and access to health, education, and leadership.

At our center, we remain committed to advancing research, bridging the know–do gap, and strengthening capacity to improve maternal and newborn health, while supporting women leaders, researchers, and health professionals who are driving change in our health system.

♦️ Today, we proudly celebrate the strong women and researchers in our who work tirelessly to advance implementation research, bridging the know–do gap through professional excellence, collaboration, and a true sense of sisterhood.

🔦 Research Spotlight 🔦

As a part of formative assessment of Special Lactation Support Implementation Research (SLS-IR), qualitative research was done to identify perceptions, beliefs and attitudes towards preterm birth at individual, interpersonal, organisational and societal levels.

The study was done in Meki and Batu, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Through In- depth interviews and focus group discussions the study included women who had preterm births, family members, community members, healthcare workers and expert stakeholders.

What the Result Showed

💠Individual level
Preterm new-born mothers often feel guilt and self- blame. Families tend to keep preterm birth a secret due to perceptions of "incompleteness".

💠Interpersonal level
Preterm newborns are often stigmatized, and families are disappointed by mothers who give birth prematurely. However, some believe that preterm newborns are accepted within the community.

💠Organizational level
Healthcare providers find the causes of preterm birth unpredictable; they do not consider preterm births prevalent and consider some of them as abortion. There is also a common belief that preterm infants have a low survival rate, leading to the de-prioritization of their care.

💠Societal level
Some believe preterm births are caused by "divine will" as "punishment" for sins committed by the mother, while others think they occur naturally. Preterm newborn’s death is often not acknowledged as true loss and families are discouraged from grieving.

The study identified that beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes surrounding preterm birth held by families, communities, healthcare providers and society at large influence the care the preterm newborn–mother dyads receive both at home and in health facilities.

The study was conducted through financial support from the Gates Foundation, and the article processing was covered by the Laerdal Foundation.

📌 Get the Full Paper on: https://cis.aau.edu.et/index.php/publications/