The medical interventions required to prevent maternal and newborn deaths exist and are well known but their dissemination is often weak. Therefore, health workers lack up-to-date information and practical guidance for their day-to-day use, resulting in poor quality of care. To address this, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with Société africaine de gynécologie et d’obstétrique and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), developed the “Recommendations for clinical practices on emergency obstetric and neonatal care in Africa (RCP)”.

This manual was adapted from WHO’s “Managing complications in pregnancy and childbirth: a guide for midwives and doctors”. It aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of health facility staff to manage obstetric and newborn problems. The guidance in this manual is adaptable to local conditions and enables health care providers to manage cases better, considering the main causes of maternal and newborn mortality in the Region.