EVALUATION REPORT : INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF MIDWIVES (ICM), LONDON, ENGLAND

THE ASSESSMENT IS BASED ON DISCUSSIONS WITH AID PERSONNEL, INTERVIEWS WITH ICM STAFF, AND REVIEW OF PROJECT DOCUMENTATION. SINCE THE GRANT WAS FIRST AWARDED IN I972 ICM HAS COLLABORATED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF OBSTERRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS (FIGO) THROUGH AN ICM/FIGO JOINT STUDY GROUP. THE ICM, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE JOINT STUDY GROUP, HAS CONTINUED TO INVOLVE LEADING LDC MIDWIVES, PHYSICIANS, AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH OFFICIALS IN PROMOTING MIDWIFE AND TRAINED BIRTH ATTENDANT (TBA) INVOLVEMENT IN FAMILY PLANNING (FP). ICM HAS IMPROVED ITS ABILITY TO PLAN AND CONDUCT WORKING PARTIES AND FOLLOW-UP. POOR RESPONSE TO THE EARLIER WORKING PARTIES IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA AND FRANCOPHONE AFRICA IS ATTRIBUTED IN PART TO LACK OF FOLLOW-UP. IN SOME CASES, FREQUENT CHANGES IN TOP MOH PERSONNEL HAVE NEGATED WORKING PARTY ARRANGEMENTS FOR CURRICULUM REVISION AND TRAINING. IN ADDITION TO WORKING PARTIES AND AS A RESULT OF FOLLOW-UP, TWO REGIONAL FP TRAINING SEMINARS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED BY ICM STAFF. A 3-WEEK SEMINAR ON FAMILY HEALTH TRAINING FOR ANGLOPHONE WEST AFRICAN SENIOR MIDWIVES, TEACHERS, AND SUPERVISORS WAS CONDUCTED IN SIERRA LEONE. A SEMINAR ON INFORMATION, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNICATION FOR MIDWIVES OF NEPAL, SRI LANKA, AND BANGLADESH WAS CONDUCTED IN BANGLADESH. TWO TBA TRAINER-TRAINING SEMINARS WERE ALSO CONDUCTED, ONE IN BANGLADESH AND THE OTHER IN AFGHANISTAN. EVALUATORS CONCLUDE THAT THE SEMINAR ACTIVITY IS AN IMPORTANT NEW DIRECTION FOR THE PROJECT; THEY ARE NEEDED AND HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL. AID SHOULD CONTINUE FUNDING THE PROJECT.