Assessing the quality of facility-based child survival services

The facility-based assessment (FBA) method is a co-ordinatedset of data collection activities, designed to determine theextent to which children are properly diagnosed and effectivelytreated at health facilities. Eleven African countries haveconducted facility-based assessments since 1986, with supportfrom the African Child Survival Initiative-Combatting ChildhoodCommunicable Diseases project. Components of the FBA includeobservations of health worker performance; exit interviews withcaretakers; interviews with health service personnel; reviewsof clinic records; and inventories of available equipment andsupplies. Data resulting from applications of the method canbe used to identify training needs among health personnel, andlogistic problems that limit the quality of service delivery.Repeated surveys can be used to assess the impact of trainingand other interventions designed to improve service quality.