Quarterly Report Format for MCHIP Country Programs (2011)

As part of USAID's expanded MCH programming to include a more significant focus on maternal and neonatal health (MNH), USAID/Madagascar provided funding to MCHIP at the beginning of Fiscal Year (FY) 2010. One of MCHIP's primary roles has been to provide technical assistance to USAID bilateral programs, donors, professional associations, and other collaborating partners for the introduction and scale-up of high-impact interventions. MCHIP has accomplished several key objectives in its first active year of the program. A cadre of 18 clinical trainers well-versed in clinical training techniques and key aspects of MNH/Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care has been developed. Additionally, MCHIP has increased the capacity of 455 physicians and midwives to provide quality care for women and newborns experiencing complications related to Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH), Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia (PE/E), infections, and neonatal asphyxia. Complementing the efforts of the Santenet2 project, MCHIP has also increased the capacity of 64 Community Agents (CA) to provide essential maternal and newborn care in the three demonstration districts of Fenerive Est, Taolagnaro, and Ambatondrazaka. MCHIP's program objectives include providing support and technical leadership in MNCH, contributing nationally relevant program learning on integrated health approaches to MNH, and increasing uterotonic coverage to prevent PPH. Key activities include providing technical assistance to local professional associations, social franchises, USAID bilateral programs, and other collaborating partners. Technical assistance at the national level includes participation in the Safe Motherhood Working Group, training, curriculum, and proposal development, and national-level information sharing on targeted evidence-based globally approved best practices. MCHIP has achieved several notable results in the first quarter of FY 2012. The program has helped set the stage for the adoption of a sustainable national PPH Prevention strategy through increased uterotonic coverage in Madagascar. MCHIP has also strengthened the pool of maternal and newborn health trainers in Madagascar by training a second cadre of 19 clinical trainers in key aspects of MNH/Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care. The Quality of MNH Care (QoC) study has been finalized, assessing both the quality and access to maternal and newborn care. MCHIP plans to disseminate and use the study findings in a workshop to encourage key stakeholders to implement study recommendations in a coordinated fashion to address gaps in health care service delivery. Additionally, MCHIP has increased the capacity of an additional 145 Community Health Workers (CHW) to provide essential maternal and newborn care in the three demonstration districts. MCHIP has also made significant progress in training and capacity-building activities. An introductory PPH prevention program has been developed, emphasizing training of providers in Active Management of Third Stage of Labor (AMTSL) for prevention of PPH. A MNH Supplemental Training Workshop for Trainers (TOT) was conducted, reinforcing the technical capacity of 18 MNH clinical trainers and teaching them how to be effective trainers. A second pool of MCHIP trainers/supervisors has been created, consisting of 19 doctors who are well-versed in targeted MNH skills and knowledge and capable trainers. These trainers will conduct cascade MNH trainings throughout Madagascar for about 120 professional association members.