Ethiopia Maternal and Child Health Work in Time of COVID-19 Featured by EWEC
July 2nd, 2020 | news
JSI is committed to supporting the Every Woman Every Child campaign to sustain and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
Two JSI projects in Ethiopia are currently featured as Partner Spotlights on the EWEC website, highlighting their ongoing work to improve the health of women and children, even in the face of COVID-19.
In Ethiopia, JSI works with the government to strengthen the health system to provide quality maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) services. JSI is currently supporting Ethiopia’s COVID-19 response, and two JSI projects are working to ensure essential maternal, child, and adolescent health services continue to be accessible during the pandemic.
The Transform: Primary Health Care (Transform: PHC) Activity works with the Government of Ethiopia to improve the quality of care and increase access and use of antenatal care, contraception services, skilled deliveries, and child health services to improve outcomes for women, children, and their families. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Transform: PHC is working with the Ethiopian government to ensure:
- Health facilities are capable to continue providing essential health services and commodities to women, children, and adolescents
- Women, children, and adolescents continue to seek out the health care services they need and are able to access these services when and where they need them
- Accurate service delivery data are reported from health facilities into the health management information system
The Last Ten Kilometers (L10K) project supports Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen a responsive and resilient primary health care system that improves the health status of families and communities through innovative and evidence-informed MNCH interventions. The COVID-19 pandemic, which requires a shift in resources (budget, health workforce, facilities, logistics and supplies, etc.), threatens to overburden the health system and reverse gains in MNCH outcomes. COVID-19 has also affected health-seeking behaviors. Families and communities who fear becoming infected at health care facilities and may have limited transport options are less likely to use essential health services. L10K is working with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and other partners to minimize the impact COVID-19 will have on the delivery of essential services, with particular attention given to protecting mothers and children.
L10K2020 is implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
