Study design and participants
SECONDARY
We conducted a pragmatic, cluster randomised controlled trial, with a stratified, two-arm, parallel group design in a rural setting in the Bankass health district of central Mali’s Mopti region. The district, served by one public secondary referral hospital and 22 PHCs was chosen in partnership with the Malian Ministry of Health and Social Development based on its high under-five mortality and low health care utilisation [To assess outcomes, we censused all permanent residents and surveyed all resident women aged 15 to 49 years at baseline and annually at 12, 24, and 36 months. Respondents provided written, informed consent (or assent, if aged 15 to 17 years and unmarried) at their first enrolment and were included in follow-up surveys if present (including those who were aged above 49 years). Any individual who sought care from study providers was eligible to receive health care throughout the trial, regardless of residency, survey enrolment, or arm assignment.