Egypt Improving Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Implementation Plan

The program is based on the family health model established by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) in 1999, which provides basic primary health care services, reproductive health, family planning, maternal and child health, EPI, IMCI, nutrition, and child growth and development. The program's objectives include providing technical assistance to the MoHP to develop a national strategy for community health workers that reflects the MoHP's Family Health Package and supports the MoHP in reaching Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets. Additionally, the program aims to provide technical assistance to the MoHP to develop a national training system for the Raedat Refiat (RR) program and implement it at scale in 18 governorates of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. The RR program, established in 1994, is a community health worker program that seeks to increase demand for family planning services and improve health behaviors among key populations. The program has a workforce of around 14,280 RR, with only around 180 male CHWs. Most CHWs are women who are recruited from their local communities to visit women and their families at home, referring them to primary health care units for contraception, reproductive health services, and primary health care services. The MoHP and USAID/Egypt requested the support of MCSP to review and assess the RR program, offer recommendations to strengthen it, and then implement activities in support of selected recommendations. The assessment phase of the MCSP Egypt project was initiated in April 2015 and consisted of rigorous in-country assessment activities and a national stakeholder meeting to review MCSP's findings and recommendations. Egypt faces a dual disease burden, with a high prevalence of infectious diseases and a growing burden of non-communicable diseases. The country has made significant progress in reducing maternal and child mortality, but more efforts are needed to sustain this progress and protect the country from backsliding. The MCSP Egypt project aims to address these challenges through a comprehensive package of integrated health services, including reproductive health, family planning, maternal and child health, EPI, IMCI, nutrition, and child growth and development. The program's implementation plan includes several key activities, including the development of a national strategy for community health workers, the development of a national training system for the RR program, and the implementation of activities in support of selected recommendations. The program will be implemented in 18 governorates of Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, with a focus on improving maternal, child health, and nutrition outcomes. The program's expected results include improved maternal and child health outcomes, increased access to reproductive health services, and improved health behaviors among key populations. The program will also contribute to the achievement of the SDGs, particularly Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.