4th Lecture is all about plans that work for mothers, newborns

Mr. Manoj Kumar, Country Director,
Plan International Ethiopia making
International Women’s Day special
4th Wangari Maathai Lecture at
Ambo campus of Micro Business College
on 10 March.
PHOTO: WEST SHOA ZONE GOVT.
COMMUNICATION AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT

An organization becomes noble when its vision is a world in which all children realize their full potential, in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity. 

An organization becomes inevitable, when it strives to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries, uniting people across cultures and adding meaning and value to their lives.

Observations on maternal newborn child health issue made by such an organization - Plan International - having over seventy six years of experience along 72 countries, should be a priceless contribution. 

Hence the 4th Wangari Maathai Memorial Lecture became so important with Mr. Manoj Kumar, Country Director, Plan International Ethiopia delivering a lecture titled, ‘Maternal Newborn Child Health Situation in Ethiopia: Learning from Plan International’.  676 maternal child morbidity and mortality out of 100, 000 live births, is a figure that adds to the significance of the issue in Ethiopia. 

Quoting the Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2014, conducted under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and implemented by the Central Statistical Agency (CSA), Mr. Manoj Kumar invited everyone’s attention to another major fact: the percentage of facility birth in the country is as low as 10% in 2011 and 15 percent in 2014; and the number of women receiving antenatal care (ANC) from doctor, nurse or midwife is also low. Rural women are way behind in accessing such skilled antenatal care. While 80 percent of the urban women received ANC from skilled provider, this was available to only 35 percent of the country’s rural women. 

Still, we should not forget that in 15 years, the country could enhance the skilled ANC care from 6 percent to 15 percent. 

WATCH achievements: In order to support existing government programmes and to reinforce the systems launched by the government, the Plan International has launched an innovative Women and their Children’s Health (WATCH) in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mali, Ghana and Bangladesh.  In Ethiopia, 8 agrarian rural districts; Lasta, Bugna, Meket, Tiro Afeta, Kersa, Shebedino, Gorche and Bona Zuria, from the three regions of Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s region (SNNPR), Oromia, and Amhara are under the WATCH currently. 

The WATCH, slated to be finished in May 2015, has partnership with the Ministry of Health; Oromia Development Association; Berhan Integrated Community Development Organization in SNNPR; Save Your Holy Land Association in Amhara; and Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in due partnership with Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada.

As of December 2013, over 50 percent of the 44,267 children who received crucial vaccination through the WATCH, were girls.  Besides, Plan Ethiopia’s WATCH ticked with the following admirable achievements: Strengthened the existing health systems to ensure long-term sustainability; improved health facilities infrastructure, through purchase of refrigerators, incinerators, etc.; improved the referral system through the provision mobile airtime and fuel for maternity ward ambulances; increased the skill and efficiency of health workers through the provision of technical training and subsequent refresher training on maternal and child health service provisions.

21 health workers were trained in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care with 2 rounds of supportive supervision across 43 Health Centers. Also  the WATCH ensured supply of essential drugs, equipment and supplies to 54 Health Centers. 556 women below the age of 19 and 10,816 of age 20-49 in WATCH areas could utilize Maternal Newborn Child Health services.

Mr. Manoj Kumar’s captivating speech was concluded with a description on certain impressive achievements made by the WATCH. Key achievements included:

• The number of women who received pre-natal care by a skilled health provider (at least 4 times) during pregnancy increased from 19.2% to 47.8%. 
• The number of mothers who received 2 doses of tetanus increased by over 20%. 
• The number of women who received post-natal care within 3 days of childbirth increased from 13.6% to 31%.