Project profile — My Health, My Choice - Support to the Health Pooled Fund in South Sudan for COVID-19

• South Sudan (100.00%)

• Health: COVID-19 control (12264) (100.00%)

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

As the largest provider of healthcare in South Sudan, the Health Pooled Fund is on the frontlines of responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Through this project, Canada’s contribution aims to help ensure that supported health workers and facilities are properly equipped to respond to, and protected from, the transmission of the virus. The project also supports public health promotion and education to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Supported by Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States, the European Union and Gavi: the vaccine alliance, the Health Pooled Fund supports the delivery of basic health and nutrition services in hospitals, health facilities, and communities in eight of South Sudan’s ten former states. Canada’s contribution to the Health Pooled Fund helps support the empowerment of women and girls to access quality health services, including sexual and reproductive health services, free from discrimination, coercion and violence. This requires ensuring that quality, gender-sensitive health services, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, are available in facilities and communities, and by increasing knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and shaping positive attitudes and practices in order to support women’s and girls’ agency and decision-making power. This project builds on previous support to the Health Pooled Fund and is part of Canada’s commitment to improve the reproductive health and rights of women and children.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved provision of quality gender-sensitive health services, including sexual and reproductive health, that meet the needs of women and girls in targeted South Sudanese facilities and communities; and (2) strengthened respect and protection for women and girls’ right to health, including sexual and reproductive health, by communities and households in targeted areas of South Sudan.

Results achieved as of December 2020 include: (1) facilitated 50% percent of supported health facilities (396) in having staff who are trained to identify and manage sexual and gender-based violence, an increase of 28% over the previous year; (2) provided support leading to 61,201 deliveries taking place in a health facility attended by a skilled birth attendant, a 48% increase compared to the same nine-month period in the previous year; (3) facilitated 57,750 individuals in becoming new adopters of modern family planning methods, an 18% increase to the previous twelve month period; (4) supported access for 7,065 women to post-abortion care, an increase of 113% over the previous year; (5) reached 968,827 community members with public health education through family health sessions, including sessions related to sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender based violence; (6) trained 4,608 health workers on coronavirus (COVID-19) safety, case detection, treatment or surveillance, and the use of personal protective equipment; (7) improved water, sanitation and health infrastructure in 112 health facilities; and (8) distributed 2,031 low-literacy friendly resources to support home-based care of family members with suspected cases of COVID-19. Together these results have contributed to the increased availability and accessibility of quality, gender-sensitive health services in South Sudan, and increased knowledge on sexual and reproductive health and rights, so that women and girls can exercise their right to health.

• Proactive disclosure
• Related activities:
• My Health, My Choice - Support to the Health Pooled Fund in South Sudan
• My Health, My Choice - Support to the Health Pooled Fund in South Sudan - monitoring