Project profile — Leyaata Ane

• Ghana (100.00%)

• Health, General: Medical education/training (12181) (3.00%)
• Reproductive health care:
Reproductive health care (13020) (55.00%)
Personnel development for population and reproductive health (13081) (42.00%)

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

This project aims to reduce neonatal mortality in rural northern Ghana by building on a previous initiative on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) called Leyaata. Leyaata Ane seeks to double the geographic scope of the previous Leyaata project by adding an additional 80 communities to the original 82. It aims to improve the delivery of health care, specifically healthcare around birth, by training 50 health workers, encouraging the adoption of codes of conduct, and ensuring facilities meet basic requirements for safe care around birth. A proven home visit program conducted by community-based health volunteers is used to increase access to this improved care. Project activities include: (1) providing health workers with training in essential interventions at birth and for newborns; (2) rehabilitating and equipping local facilities with essential technologies; (3) training and equipping community based volunteers to provide home visits for antenatal counselling and neonate monitoring; (4) distributing long-lasting insecticidal nets to all pregnant women and new mothers; and (5) facilitating support groups to promote women’s care around birth and shared decision-making. The project is expected to contribute directly to the improved health of approximately 39,000 people including approximately 20,000 children. In addition, more than 139,000 people are expected to benefit indirectly from this project’s results. Ghana Rural Integrated Development is implementing this project in collaboration with the following local partner: Northern Empowerment Association.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved delivery of essential health services to mothers, pregnant women, newborns and children under five; and (2) improved utilization of essential health services by mothers, pregnant women and newborns.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2021) include: (1) supported 52 healthcare providers ( of which 47 women and five men) in achieving certification in the Advances in Labour and Risk Management course developed by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada; (2) provided 50 participating local health facilities with resuscitation kits, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and thermometers for safer childbirth; (3) provided support leading to, in 2020, approximately 86% of all births in the project area taking place with skilled assistance in a health facility; (4) provided support leading to the successful resuscitation by a skilled health care worker of approximately 98% of all babies who were not breathing at birth; and (5) facilitated 861 adolescents ( of which 456 girls and 395 boys) in visiting an “adolescent reproductive health corner” in one of 16 health facilities, where they received information and guidance from a skilled health worker. Overall, these results have improved the delivery and use of essential gender-responsive health services for mothers, pregnant women, newborns and adolescents.

• Proactive disclosure