 The results of this study show that the majority of women who gave birth at public health facilities in Goerge Zone, Southern Ethiopia experience a delay in receiving emergency obstetric care after their arrival at the facility. The study found that complications during labour, presence of a functioning generator in the facility, and level of the facility were all associated with the delay. Additionally, bemonk training in the past two years was with a higher likelihood of experiencing a delay. These findings suggest that equipping health facilities with trained staff and necessary materials and infrastructure could help reduce the duration of the third delay and improve the quality of obstetric care provided.