Controlled Impact Evaluation of a Birth Registration Intervention, Burkina Faso

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the introduction of secondary civil registration centres on birth registrations within 60 days of birth, in Burkina Faso.

Methods: The faith-based organization Sant'Egidio supported the inauguration of secondary birth registration centres within seven health centres in Réo from July 2015 and four health centres in Godyr from February 2015, at which delivery and vaccination services were available. We calculated the number of timely registrations per 1000 population before and after the launch of the intervention in both the intervention and control municipalities. We used a logistic regression model to evaluate the probability of non-registration as a function of the health centre services used and various demographic and health characteristics, obtained through health registers data and interviews.

Findings: Compared with the previous 12 months, the number of timely birth registrations in Réo and Godyr rose from 502 to 2094 (317.1%) and from 267 to 793 (197.0%) during the first 12 months of the intervention. In the two control municipalities, the numbers were unchanged. Infants whose mothers attended health centres for delivery, but did not return for vaccinations, had the lowest proportions of birth registration (69.0%; 294/426; in Réo and 70.2%; 40/57 in Godyr). Infants of mothers who were not interviewed were more likely to not having a timely birth registration (in Réo odds ratio, OR: 6.25; 95% confidence interval, CI: 4.10-9.52 and in Godyr OR: 25.64; 95% CI: 4.31-166.67).

Conclusion: Introduction of secondary registration centres within health centres increased timely birth registrations.