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Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in Tajikistan
– Reported, May 24, 2013
Save the Childrens multi donor health program in Tajikistan aims to establish a sustainable program based on community mobilization and household counseling to improve community and household Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH). Save the Children supports the Ministry of Health (MoH) to improve maternal, newborn and child health and subsequent introduction of various strategies and an innovative methodology to accelerate progress towards Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 offers hope.
Partnership with communities is a critical element of Health Program Strategy to reach hard-to-reach mothers and their children. Where communities know their rights, are aware of the benefits of health services, and know where, when and how access to them, the health benefits of the health services are higher.
In line with the EVERY ONE campaign in Tajikistan, our Health program works with communities through self directed and self financing womens groups (WGs) and Community Health Workers to improve MNCH knowledge and practices at the household level.
This is framed within Save the Children’s EVERY ONE campaigns key messages that promote community-based interventions at village level to reduce under-5 child mortality from preventable diseases.
In 2013, we are supporting greater access to health services for children under 5 years through the promotion of birth registration. Currently, 15% of all children are not registered and cannot access public services. The greatest barrier to accessing health services such as vaccinations for infants and under 5 year old children is a lack of legal status. Legal status in Tajikistan is conferred by means of a birth registration. The registration of the childs birth allows the child to access free medical and health service, attend school and eventually become an enfranchised member of society. Without a birth registration, the child has no identity and no rights to government goods and services.
This project will improve the capacity of the community based womens groups in rural districts to identify and overcome the barriers to health services and provide children with access to health services.
As a result of the project it is expected that there will be an 80% increase in birth registration and inclusion of the most vulnerable children in the formal health system. This will be measured through a base line household survey conducted to identify children out of reach of health services due to not being registered.
Our MNCH project will distribute more than 100, 000 knitted baby caps donated by Save the Children Korea and Netherlands, through the Ministry of Health and our Womens Groups. These caps will be distributed to those children who have a birth certificate. This will encourage women and families to register their children officially, and will contribute to the promotion of Birth Registration in the targeted communities.
This project will address the specific health problems by empowering women to take more responsibility for their health through establishment and functioning of community Women Health Groups in all Save the Children villages and selected districts through community involvement and participation.
As a result of the project, approximately 740 Womens Groups which includes 13,274 women of the targeted communities will be trained on key maternal, newborn and child health issues and practice.
The project will help improve the health status of mothers, newborns and infants through distribution of baby caps, education and behavior change communication on anti-natal care, breastfeeding, and nutrition.
In partnership with UNICEF, Save the Children is undertaking a research project investigating the use of the traditional cradle (Gahvora), which is thought to contribute to poor infant feeding practices and the effects of the cradle practice on infant physical, motor, and social development.
CREDITS.
http://everyone.savethechildren.net/
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