MaMoni Health Systems Strengthening Activity: FY’16 Annual Report

The project's third year of implementation, from October 2015 to September 2016, saw significant progress in strengthening health systems at the national and district levels. A nationwide facility assessment was conducted to determine the readiness of 4,461 union-level health facilities to provide normal delivery care and essential newborn care services. The assessment resulted in a comprehensive database of these facilities, which will be used to advocate for investments from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOH&FW) and development partners to strengthen these facilities. The project also completed seven divisional-level dissemination and advocacy events to prioritize the initiative as part of the new Health Nutrition and Population (HNP) sector program. Additionally, the project supported the initial rollout of 7.1% chlorhexidine application for newborn umbilical cord care through public sector health facilities in all 64 districts of the country. The MOH&FW supported the rollout by procuring and distributing the product, while the project trained 80,579 public sector health workers, supervisors, and managers at all levels. The project also supported the integration of chlorhexidine into the routine monitoring systems of MOH&FW and established a Newborn and Child Health Cell within the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) section to monitor the implementation of the initiative. The project's focus on human resource management and quality improvement led to the development of an implementation plan for the fourth sector program. The project also consolidated its inputs at the district level to ensure integration of services and stronger demonstrable results in service readiness and utilization in MNCH-FP-N at all levels. The MaMoni Health Systems Strengthening Activity's efforts to strengthen health systems and improve MNCH services in Bangladesh have been significant, with a focus on supporting the national level initiatives of the MOH&FW. The project's accomplishments in the third year of implementation have laid the foundation for continued progress in the years to come. The project's work in supporting the development of an implementation plan for the fourth sector program has the potential to have a lasting impact on the health sector in Bangladesh. The project's focus on human resource management and quality improvement has also been critical in ensuring that the health workforce is equipped to provide high-quality services to mothers and children. The MaMoni Health Systems Strengthening Activity's efforts to strengthen health systems and improve MNCH services in Bangladesh are a testament to the importance of investing in the health sector. The project's accomplishments in the third year of implementation demonstrate the potential for significant progress in improving health outcomes in Bangladesh. The project's work in supporting the rollout of chlorhexidine application for newborn umbilical cord care has the potential to reduce neonatal mortality rates in Bangladesh. The project's focus on integrating chlorhexidine into the routine monitoring systems of MOH&FW has also been critical in ensuring that the initiative is sustainable and effective in the long term.