Table 1 Status, training, distribution, and compensation of desired and on-call birth companions

Selection/ recruitment

Selected by women during their pregnancies.

Candidates nominated by communities and village committees and then selected by health facility management teams in consultation with Thamini Uhai.

Recognition as “birth companion”

Recognized and allowed to enter the labor room when they presented a special identification badge, which they received following two sessions of orientation.

Recognized as “on-call birth companions” once they completed training.

Orientation and training

• Nurses and community health workers provided orientation during antenatal clinics at pilot facilities and community health workers provided orientation in communities.

• Orientation covered: women’s roles as birth companions, what birth companions are not allowed to do, patients’ rights and how birth companions could prevent infecting themselves, the women they accompany, other women in the maternity ward and newborns.

• Received a refresher at time of labor/delivery and received tips from on-call birth companions on nonmedical comfort measures.

• Thamini Uhai trained OBCs over 2 days, covering the benefits of continuous support during childbirth and reviewing the Code of Good Practice including their roles and responsibilities, what they were not allowed to do and infection prevention practices.

• OBCs also received additional training on nonmedical comfort measures.

Availability and coverage

Not applicable

• 3 companions selected and trained in each intervention health center. Due to a very large caseload, the intervention hospital had 6 companions.

• A roster ensured 24/7 coverage at facilities.

Compensation

None from project

Received a monthly stipend, mobile phones with closed user group connection, monthly airtime recharge, uniform, and on-call/night shift allowance.