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.
