Strengthening Maternal and Infant Health Care in Podor District
Situation:
Maternal and child mortality rates in Senegal are among the highest in West Africa. The Podor district in the north of the country is particularly affected. Long distances to health centers, a lack of equipment and personnel, as well as limited health awareness, hinder early and regular pregnancy care – and put women and children at risk.
Objectives:
The aim of the project is to reduce maternal and child mortality in the Podor district by improving access to and the quality of health services for pregnant women, mothers, and children. In addition, the project seeks to reduce the levels of malnutrition among pregnant women and young children.
- Rate of births attended by qualified health professionals increased by at least 20 %.
- At least 500 households sign up for Mutual Health Insurance coverage.
- Percentage of severely malnourished children in the project region is reduced by at least 10 %.
- Trainings of midwives on delivery, pre- and postnatal care and the use of ultrasound equipment
- Trainings for Community Health Volunteers on essential nutritional action, growth monitoring, WASH, family planning, vaccinations and communication techniques
- Community-awareness-raising sessions on the benefits of mutual health insurance
- Community awareness-raising campaign on nutrition- and health-related issues
- Support for people with disabilities by training medical personnel with disabilities and ensuring accessible health services
- Training sessions for 12 Health Management Committees to enhance their skills in good governance, ethics and administration and financial management
- Procurement of two motorcycles and two tricycles for the use in communities to facilitate access to distant village health posts
- Delivery of medical equipment and consumables, including scales, folic acid, iron, and fortified flour
- Installation of a water filtration unit to enable access to clean water for at least 8,000 people to prevent water-borne diseases
The project strengthens the local health system by training and supporting healthcare personnel and Community Health Volunteers who remain active in the communities after the project ends. Enrolling families in health insurance will ensure their access to healthcare in the future. Close collaboration with the Health District guarantees that the impact of the measures is monitored and sustained long-term. Equipment is transferred to public ownership upon project completion, and monitoring data is integrated into the national health system.
The project combines the technical and professional equipment of health posts with sensitization efforts at the community level to strengthen health awareness and reduce socio-cultural barriers. Particularly innovative is the enrollment of households in health insurance to ensure long-term healthcare access, along with a focus on inclusive services for people with disabilities.
Further information: https://das-hunger-projekt.de/project/senegal/
