USAID|MIKOLO Quarterly Progress Report

The project aims to increase the use of community-based healthcare services and the adoption of healthy behaviors among women of reproductive age, children under five, and infants. The project revolves around two main objectives: improving health by enhancing the quality of primary health services at the community level, as well as access to and demand for these services; and strengthening the capacity of local NGOs to support quality community health services and to be direct recipients of funding in the future. To achieve these objectives, the project is designed to sustainably develop systems, capacity, and ownership of local partners; increase availability of and access to primary health care services in project target communes; improve the quality of community-level primary health care services; and increase the adoption of healthy behaviors and practices. The project uses a community-based approach that incorporates approaches to reduce gender inequity and maximize sustainability. By empowering the Malagasy people to adopt healthy behaviors and providing access to integrated family planning (FP), reproductive health (RH), maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), and malaria control services, the project aims to help put Madagascar back on the path to health and development. The project emphasizes the involvement and development of NGOs, community organizations, and a cadre of community health volunteers (CHVs) who provide quality services, and serve as change agents and elements of a sustainable development approach. The project's four sub-purposes are designed to achieve the main objectives. Sub-purpose 1 focuses on sustainably developing systems, capacity, and ownership of local partners. This involves strengthening the capacity of local NGOs to support quality community health services and to be direct recipients of funding in the future. Sub-purpose 2 aims to increase availability of and access to primary health care services in project target communes. This involves increasing the number of CHVs, strengthening relationships with providers of long-acting and permanent methods (LAPM) of FP, and improving FP commodity security. Sub-purpose 3 focuses on improving the quality of community-level primary health care services. This involves improving the quality of services provided by CHVs and strengthening relationships with providers of LAPM of FP. Sub-purpose 4 aims to increase the adoption of healthy behaviors and practices. This involves empowering the Malagasy people to adopt healthy behaviors and providing access to integrated FP, RH, MNCH, and malaria control services. The project's community-based approach involves working with and through local organizations to strengthen the health system and local institutions. This approach is designed to reduce gender inequity and maximize sustainability. By empowering the Malagasy people to adopt healthy behaviors and providing access to integrated FP, RH, MNCH, and malaria control services, the project aims to help put Madagascar back on the path to health and development.