Project profile — All Mothers and Children Count - COVID-19 Response

• Burundi (31.00%)
• Tanzania (18.00%)
• Rwanda (23.00%)
• Mozambique (28.00%)

• Basic Health: Basic nutrition (12240) (10.00%)
• Health: COVID-19 control (12264) (75.00%)
• Government And Civil Society, General: Ending violence against women and girls (15180) (15.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• 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 (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This initiative aims to reduce illness and death among women of reproductive age, newborns and children under five by working with local health authorities. Project activities include: (1) training women and men health workers and traditional birth attendants to dispense accurate advice on ante and post-natal care, promote healthy habits, provide basic health care, identify high risk pregnancies and make referrals to government-run medical facilities; (2) equipping a select number of health centers with essential equipment to reduce infection, monitor vital signs of fetuses and facilitate night time deliveries; (3) constructing dispensaries, nurses' houses and expectant mothers' houses to encourage facility based delivery; (4) providing rapid and affordable transport to medical facilities; (5) improving access to clean water and nutritious food; and (6) mobilizing and equipping communities and village leaders for sustainability of MNCH and gender results. The program will respond to COVID-19 while ensuring that women and girls continue to have access to SRH services, safe deliveries, pre and post-natal care, and contraceptive access. COVID-19 response activities include: (1) scaling up water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, including the distribution of soap and hand sanitizer; (2) distributing hygiene and safety kits to health workers and community leaders; (3) procuring personal protective equipment for clinical staff and setting up temporary tents to allow for covered physical distancing at clinics; (4) tele-coaching/tele-monitoring community health workers to deliver information and educate the community in a safe, distanced manner; and (5) educating communities on personal protective measures, physical distancing and home isolation via megaphone, radio and distanced community health worker interventions. This initiative is expected to contribute directly to the improved health and nutrition of approximately 2.5 million women, men and children and in addition, around 1 million individuals. The project is implemented with local partners in each country: VHW in Burundi, EHALE in Mozambique, Inshuti Mu Buzima (Partners in Health) in Rwanda, and the Anglican Diocese of Masasi in Tanzania.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved delivery of essential health services to mothers, pregnant women, newborns and children under five; (2) improved utilization of essential health services by mothers, pregnant women, and children under five; and (3) increased consumption of nutritious food and supplements by mothers, pregnant women, newborns and children under five. COVID-19 Response results include: (1) COVID-19 containment of populations served, especially women and girls; and (2) improved health care provision as a result of pandemic sensitization and enhanced sourcing and delivery of essential inputs to protect health caregivers and the populations they serve.

Results achieved as of May 2022 include: (1) 372,634 pregnant and postpartum women accessed maternal, neonatal and child health services at 181 health institutions; (2) skilled health personnel attended 97% of live births in Burundi, up from 37% at the beginning of the project; (3) maternal mortality rate in Mozambique reduced to 289 per 100,000 deaths, down from 318 per 100,000 at the beginning of the project; (4) installed solar suitcases in maternity wards at 30 health facilities; (5) drilled 25 wells and constructed 3 integrated maternal neonatal and child health facilities in Mozambique; and (6) constructed two nurses' dormitories and one expectant mother's house in Burundi. COVID-19 Response results achieved as of March 2022 include: (1) trained 2,345 health providers and community health workers on COVID-19 protocols or procedures; (2) procured and distributed personal protective equipment and medical supplies to over 75 health facilities; (3) distributed over 13,000 COVID-19 communications products, such as posters, leaflets, and brochures; (4) broadcast over 300 COVID-19 segments on popular theatre and radio programs; (5) trained 568 community health workers in sexual and gender-based violence awareness, detection and referral; and (6) community health workers and safe motherhood promotors, trained in sexual and gender-based violence awareness, detection and referral, conducted 63,180 household visits.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities: All Mothers and Children Count - COVID-19 Response