MCSP-PACHI monthly Report (January, 2016)

The project is funded by MCHIP/Malawi with a total obligation of $50,000. The primary objectives of the project are to track immunization status of children in Ntchisi and Dowa districts and monitor immunization trends of infants at the community level. During the reporting period of January 2016, several activities were planned but not accomplished due to delayed budget approval. The project team made logistic preparations for trainings scheduled for February. Village headmen and volunteers were identified, with village headmen identified from district assembly records and volunteers identified by chiefs. A review meeting was held, attended by Raphael Chikadza, the district officer for Dowa. Challenges encountered during the reporting period included delayed budget approval, transport problems, and inadequate volunteer coverage. To address these challenges, phone calls and email reminders were made to expedite the budget revision process. A resolution was made to use motorbikes provided by the District Health Office and PACHI, and volunteers were replaced in some villages to ensure adequate coverage. Planned activities for the next month, February 2016, include training of village headmen and volunteers in selected priority two TAs in each district, door-to-door census of infants, and commencement of tracking of infant immunization status for villages whose volunteers and village headmen have been trained. The project's progress toward key indicators is summarized in the table below. The target for indicator I-22, number of targeted communities registering newborns and tracking immunization status quarterly, is 2,345. As of the reporting period, no communities have begun registration due to delays in health worker and ADC orientations. The target for indicator I-26, number of health workers oriented in infant tracking, is TBD, but 256 health workers from facilities within the first four TAs have been oriented.