ProSalud Maternal and Child Health (2010-2015)

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Client

BG Group

Project Location

Project Duration

6 years

Total Value

N/A

Value of Montrose Component

$10m

Situation

  • Maternal, neonatal and child health in Centro Sur Province on the mainland of Equatorial Guinea was poor.
  • There was a high prevalence of childhood stunting and anaemia, institutional deliveries were rare, and outpatient attendance at health centres was low.
  • The primary health care system faced many challenges including:
    • Poorly maintained health infrastructure.
    • Lack of trained health workers.
    • Stocks out of essential medicines.
    • Limited access to potable water.
    • Limited supervision of health centres by district and provincial health staff.
  • Montrose was contracted to implement a maternal and child health and water and sanitation programme.

Solution

  • Montrose designed and implemented the ProSalud intervention, which consisted of five elements:
    • Improved primary health care services for women and children.
    • Behavioural change.
    • Improved access to safe water in health centres and communities.
    • Improved sanitation in health centres and communities.
    • Small grants scheme working with local civil society.

Impact

  • Excellent progress in immunisation, prevention of malaria, reduction in stunting, and reproductive and maternal health.
  • Improved services and higher rates of usage.
  • Decrease in childhood stunting from 37% to 21%.
  • Reduction of the two-week fever prevalence from 42% to 31%. Reduction of acute respiratory illnesses from 17% to 8%.
  • Decrease in the prevalence of malaria parasites in children aged 6-59 months from 33% to 25%.
  • Ante-natal care services accessed by 95% of pregnant women in the province with 60% attending at least the recommended four times.
  • Assisted deliveries rose from 46% to 68%.
  • Post-natal care rose from 48% to 70%.
  • Examination of newborns rose from 33% to 65%.