Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39871335›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

Evaluation of mobile clinics by MSF in pastoralist community in Doolo Zone, Somali region, Ethiopia.

Birhanu Sahelie, Luke Baertlein, Bashir AIi Dubad, Mohammed Osman, Nathan Post, Beverley Stringer, Turid Piening, Hanna Majanen, Istifanus Chindong Damulak, Elburg Van Boetzalaer and 2 more

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Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Birhanu Sahelie *Médecins Sans Frontières, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. birhanusa@yahoo.com.
Luke Baertlein *Médecins Sans Frontières, Wardher, Ethiopia. baertlein.luke@gmail.com.
Bashir AIi DubadMédecins Sans Frontières, Wardher, Ethiopia.
Mohammed OsmanSomali Regional Health Bureau, Jigjiga, Ethiopia.
Nathan PostMédecins Sans Frontières, London, UK.
Beverley StringerMédecins Sans Frontières, London, UK.
Turid PieningMédecins Sans Frontières, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hanna MajanenMédecins Sans Frontières, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Istifanus Chindong DamulakMédecins Sans Frontières, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Elburg Van BoetzalaerMédecins Sans Frontières, London, UK.
Anna KuehneMédecins Sans Frontières, London, UK.
Patrick KeatingMédecins Sans Frontières, London, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Somali region in Ethiopia has poor health infrastructure, coupled with the adversity experienced by the largely pastoralist population through frequent droughts, disease outbreaks and conflict. From January 2019, MSF strategically focused on improving access to primary healthcare in the Doolo zone of the Somali region by providing 15-20 mobile clinics covering a wide geographical area. We aimed to evaluate the extent to which mobile clinics were an appropriate and effective modality to deliver healthcare for populations living in the region.

methodsIn this mixed-methods study, we conducted a descriptive analysis of 24 months of routine mobile clinic data (February 2019 to January 2021) to evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of mobile clinics. We conducted a patient satisfaction survey to assess perceived benefits and challenges, as well as seven interviews with MSF medical staff and four focus group discussions with community members from mobile clinic sites to explore the appropriateness, effectiveness, and connectedness of mobile clinics.

resultsMSF mobile clinics conducted 90,542 outpatient consultations, across 30 mobile clinic sites during the two-year period. However, there were gaps in continuity of care. The ratio of follow-up-to-first antenatal care visits was 0.82, and the ratio of third-to-first dose of DTP/Hib/HepB vaccine was 0.39. The current mobile clinic strategy is generally well perceived by the community in terms of the quality of services provided. However, MSF staff and community members expressed that its appropriateness and effectiveness are limited by mobile clinic opening hours, large patient volumes, referral policies, staffing, and drug supply issues.

conclusionsLimited opening hours, large patient volumes, weak referral processes and supply issues impacted the appropriateness and effectiveness of healthcare provision by mobile clinics to this pastoralist population. These challenges are consistent with those faced by mobile clinics in other contexts. To enhance the effectiveness and appropriateness of mobile clinics for pastoralist populations requires collaboration with both community members and local authorities to design and regularly review the locations, frequency, healthcare service package and referral policies of mobile clinics.

Indexed as

Mobile Health UnitsPrimary Health CareAdolescentAdultEthiopiaFemaleHealth Services AccessibilityHumansMaleMiddle AgedPatient SatisfactionSomaliaYoung AdultEthiopiaEvaluationMobile clinicPastoralist

Identifiers

PMID39871335
PMCPMC11773711

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.