Putting African Mothers and Children First

Improving Maternal, New Born and Child Health (MNCH) in Tanzania, Kenya and Southern Sudan

Amina Saidi and her son RashidIf current trends are anything to go by, the majority of Sub-Saharan Africa countries will not attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. MDGs 4 and 5, to improve child and maternal mortality, are the two goals towards which least progress has been made.  

While global, regional and national policies to improve maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) exist, and interventions to prevent maternal, neonatal and child deaths are available in Tanzania, Kenya, and Southern Sudan, MNCH indicators remain unacceptably poor.  Progress has been hindered by poor policy implementation and weak health systems, which do not engage with or respond to community needs. This results in poor access and utilisation of preventive and curative health services.

 Objective

To reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and contribute to regional learning, thereby accelerating progress to attain the MDGs in Africa in Lamu district - Kenya; Tali and Tindoro payams, Terekeka County - S. Sudan: ; Mtwara and Tandahimba districts - Tanzania.

Expected Outcomes

  1. Increased maternal, new born and child health (MNCH) health service utilisation and improved patient satisfaction in four districts
  2. Improved civil society organisation (CSO) capacity in areas of governance, financial management, technical and advocacy skills
  3. Increased provision of quality, comprehensive and inclusive MNCH services
  4. Increased resource allocation (private public, local, national) to community based MNCH programmes

Key Activities

  1. Community mobilisation for social behaviour and change
  2. Train and support community health workers in health promotion /referral activities
  3. Support CSO advocacy initiatives at national/regional level
  4. Strengthen CSOs to provide/manage sub-grant
  5. Build capacity of local authorities to plan and manage services
  6. Improve technical skills of health workers at facilities
  7. Evaluate cost-effectiveness of interventions
  8. Use evidence for lobbying at local, regional and national levels 

 <<Our work with women and children