Women and Children First (UK) has been awarded a grant from the Health Foundation to improve the health of mothers and newborns in Malawi. The programme will be managed by a consortium that includes the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Liverpool Associates in Tropical Health (LATH), the Ministry of Health, Malawi, and WCF. The International Perinatal Care Unit (IPU) will be evaluating the programme.
The consortium has been awarded £2.7 million to improve maternal and newborn health in three districts, Lilongwe, Salima and Kazungu. The programme has three components:
- Improving the quality of health facilities provided in hospitals and clinics
- Working with women’s groups in the community to improve care for mothers and babies at home
- Developing sustainable systems for measuring maternal and neonatal mortality rates outside of hospitals and clinics
WCF will be managing and implementing the women’s groups component of the programme.
The programme has been developed to align with the objectives of the national strategy to reduce maternal and newborn deaths – the Roadmap for Accelerating the Reduction of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality and Morbidity in Malawi (October 2005).
The photograph above was taken at the launch of the programme at the Health Foundation in London. His Excellency Dr Francis Moto, High Commissioner for the Republic of Malawi, and representatives from each partner organisation attended.
