Project profile — Support to Maternal and Newborn Health in the Administrative District of Ituri

• Congo, Democratic Republic (100.00%)

• Health, General: Medical services (12191) (70.00%)
• Basic nutrition:
Basic nutrition (12240) (2.00%)
Infectious disease control (12250) (28.00%)

• Gender equality (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Children's issues (significant objective)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)

This project aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates by strengthening health services in the Bunia and Djugu health districts. The project focuses on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the provision of proper care for HIV/AIDS-affected children; training health care providers; educating and informing communities; and strengthening the administration of health care. Activities include: awareness raising activities on preventing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS, and mother-to-child transmission of HIV; updating training materials on obstetric and neonatal care, family planning, and assistance to women who are victims of violence; providing health care supplies and medicines; and rehabilitation of maternity hospitals. The project reaches 48,444 pregnant women, 230 health care workers, and 3,400 newborns with HIV-positive mothers. Oxfam Québec is working in partnership with Union congolaise des organisations des personnes vivant avec le VIH/sida to implement this project. This project is part of Canada's Maternal, Newborn and Child Health commitment.

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Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2015) include: (1) the integration of HIV transmission prevention services into 74 health centers and 18 hospitals; (2) 93.16% (43,420) of HIV-positive pregnant women had access to antiretroviral for prevention of transmission to their children; (3) 95.85% (971 children out of 1013) of children born to HIV-positive mothers received comprehensive preventive services (safer delivery techniques, ARV and breastfeeding according to recommended standards); and (4) more than 90% of the health care providers appreciated the quality of the training and noted that it allowed for improved emergency obstetric and neonatal care for mothers and children. In total, the project reached more than 48,000 direct beneficiaries.

• Proactive disclosure