Project profile — The Leyaata (“Rescue Us”) Project to Reduce Maternal, Infant and Child Mortality

Results achieved as of the end of the project (February 2015) include: (1) 2,216 infants were delivered in a health facility and 8,654 neonatal visits were conducted by Community-Based Surveillance Volunteers, to monitor for any signs of poor health; (2) 33 health providers participated in the Helping Babies Breathe training program, facilitated by two volunteer Canadian health professionals; (3) after the implementation of the Helping Babies Breathe program in 2014, 100% of newborns with breathing difficulty (170), born in a health facility received assistance; (4) 7,826 long-lasting insecticidal nets were distributed and installed for residents of 48 communities; and (5) 1,497 men/elders, 1,766 women, 533 boys and 765 girls received malaria training. As a result, there were 12,427 direct beneficiaries of antenatal and neonatal care, of which 8,982 were registered mothers. In the project area, neonatal mortality rates were originally assessed between 30 and 45 deaths per 1000 live births, while in the final year, only eight out of 1,769 newborns died, which is equivalent to five neonatal deaths per 1000 live births. The project also improved malaria prevention by distributing and installing long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) for residents in all homes of 48 communities, and in homes of registered pregnant women in an additional 34 communities. This project also equipped health facilities with the capacity to test for malaria and conduct community-based malaria training sessions to improve awareness of malaria causes and prevention.