Women's Health
In developing countries, maternal mortality and neonatal mortality is still unacceptably high and access to reproductive health services is too low. More effective action is needed to raise women’s health in these countries to an acceptable, sustainable level. The importance of doing so should be clear in consideration of the strong evidence that addressing the health of women contributes to socio-economic development of families, communities and society at large.
Cordaid’s key priority lies contributing to better health of people in a sustainable way. Achieving the targets agreed in the fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG5), specifically, reducing maternal mortality by 75% by 2015 and achieving universal access to reproductive health. Some progress on the MDG5 indicators has been made, but in general, the gains made have been far too low. To change this, Cordaid focuses on the following strategies:
• In many countries Cordaid contributes to increased training of midwives and other health personnel and collaborates with community workers. Upgrading obstetric care through midwives could save 3.6 million lives in 58 countries with few resources by 2015, according to the State of the World's Midwifery Report: Delivering Health, Saving Lives, june 2011. Performance Based Financing (PBF) and community health insurance as approaches to enhance performance and quality of the delivery of reproductive services. More in focus area Health Systems in Fragile States;
• Improving provision of reproductive health services of Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs). Including family planning indicators in PBF with FBOs has increased access in for instance Sud-Kivu (South Kivu).
To implement these strategies Cordaid uses its unique combination of experiences in strengthening healthcare systems, community care and empowerment. And by working through a wide range of partners, including Catholic health facilities, we are closing the gap between communities and patients on the one hand and health institutions on the other, which is a vital aspect in improving women’s health.
The countries in which we work on this theme are Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone shaded.
Projects:
Community based safe motherhood approach in Ghana
Community based safe motherhood approach in Malawi
The other focal themes in the sector Health and Well-being are:
- Community Care & Support
- Social Protection
- Health System Strengthening
