Implementation research to support Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to implement its national guidelines for management of infections in young infants in two rural districts

Background World Health Organization revised the global guidelines for management of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) in young infants to recommend the use of simplified antibiotic therapy in settings where access to hospital care is not possible. The Bangladesh Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of Bangladesh (GOB) adopted these guidelines, allowing treatment at first-level facilities. During the first year of implementation, the Projahnmo Study Group and USAID/MaMoni Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Project supported the MoHFW to operationalize the new guidelines and conducted an implementation research study in selected districts to assess challenges and identify solutions to facilitate scale-up across the country.