Table 2.
Study findings
| Author & date | Study pop. | Type of maternal healthcare financing policy | Significant study findings | Perception of quality of care |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dalinjong et al. 2018 [51] | Providers and managers | Free maternal healthcare | No strengthening of health system before implementing the free maternal health policy, facilities at the peripherals were not adequately resourced and lack of essential inputs. | Poor |
| Ganle et al. 2014 [48] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | Limited and inequitable distribution of skilled maternal services, increased workload and difficulties in arranging the proper transport for referral cases | Poor |
| Nabyonga-Orem et al. 2008 [49] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | Irregular drug and injectable supply, no fuel to facilitate providers movement and no allowances for staff | Poor |
| Nimpagaritse and Bertone 2011 [46] | Managers | Free maternal healthcare | Increase utilization of service delivery, high workload of providers and delay of reimbursement. No clear definition of the policy | Poor |
| Okonofua et al. 2011 [53] | Providers | Partial free maternal healthcare | Inadequate and improper allocation of funding | Poor |
| Pyone et al. 2017 [45] | Providers and managers | Free maternal healthcare | Weak enforcement mechanism, and lack of clarity of policy, delay in reimbursement and increased workload of providers with no allowances | Poor |
| Wamalwa 2015 [44] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | No additional staff with overwhelming workload with no allowance, shortage of logistics, and delay in reimbursement | Poor |
| Dalinjong and Laar 2013 [2] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | High utilization of service delivery of the insured. Delay in reimbursement, long working hours for providers without any motivation | Poor |
| Korom et al. 2017 [40] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | Inadequate beds, and drugs supplies, no delivery rooms, no portable water. | Poor |
| Ogbuabor and Onwujekwe 2018 [52] | Providers and managers | Free maternal healthcare | No Health Facility Committee (HFC) participation, low awareness of level of funding, and weak legal framework | Poor |
| Belaid and Ridde 2015 [55] | Providers and managers | Partially free obstetric care | Staff strengthening and providers integration into the community | Good |
| Ridde and Diarra 2009 [43] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | Health providers partially` object to the abolition of user-fee, perception of unsustainability of policy. Poor coordination of the availability of free maternal service at different levels in the health pyramid | Poor |
| Witter et al. 2013 [47] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | Tariffs inadequacy from health insurance, location of facilities skewed in favour of those within urban centers, no financial support for the programme and increased workload of providers | Poor |
| Kuwawenaruwa et al. 2019 [54] | Providers | Free maternal healthcare | Overcrowding leading to unfilled forms, no allowance for extra duties. Limited training for providers, delay of reimbursement | Poor |
| Lang’at and Mwanri 2015 [42] | Providers and managers | Free maternal healthcare | Delays in reimbursement by the government to the facility, stock out of essential drugs, increase workload amidst staff shortage and no motivation | Poor |