Year 1 – Quarter 3 Report: Tubiteho Quarterly Report April – June 2020

Despite operating context challenges, most interventions not implemented during the previous quarter were executed over the course of the third quarter. Trainers from national programs, including the Ministry of Health (MoH), completed pending trainings from the second quarter, including trainings on contraceptive technology, sessions on family planning (FP) compliance for Tubiteho, and training of health care providers from new private clinics. Maternal Neonatal Health interventions included training 15 national trainers on basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care (BEmONC) from various provinces and the National Program for Reproductive Health (PNSR). Hospital physicians, heads of districts, and Tubiteho technical staff conducted 7 maternal deaths' audits, identifying hypoglycemia, postpartum hemorrhage, and septicemia as main causes. Child Health interventions included training 27 trainers on community Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) in Bugarama health district, training 569 community health workers (CHWs) on community IMCI in Matana and Bugarama health districts, and training 17 health care providers on measles management in Gashoho health district. Additionally, 61 service providers from 22 faith-based facilities were trained on clinical IMCI, and 66 health providers were trained as trainers on community IMCI and Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM). Family Planning interventions included training 25 health providers on contraceptive technologies, training 71 partners' staff on USG FP compliance, and training 552 CHWs on proper approaches to community-based distribution of FP commodities and counseling on FP services. National trainers from PNSR also trained 31 health providers as trainers on Sayana Press provision. The Tubiteho initiative also introduced three additional contraceptive methods, including the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), female condom, and injectable contraceptive. Selected 8 new private clinics joined the Tunza FP network and were equipped with commodities for provision of integrated SRH services. Additionally, 21 health care providers from private clinics were trained in contraceptive methods, resulting in 135 clients accessing FP services from these private clinics. The COVID-19 pandemic, measles outbreak, and presidential election in Burundi affected the implementation plan, leading to the necessity of developing a catch-up plan. Tubiteho developed and submitted a catch-up plan to fast-track implementation of delayed interventions. The initiative continued to adapt to the changing operating context, prioritizing the health and well-being of the Burundian people. The Tubiteho initiative's progress during the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2020 demonstrates its commitment to improving maternal, child, and family planning health outcomes in Burundi. Despite challenges, the initiative made significant strides in training health care providers, introducing new contraceptive methods, and increasing access to FP services.