UGANDA: USAID PROMOTES SAFE, FACILITY-BASED DELIVERIES AMONG POOR PREGNANT WOMEN IN NORTH-EASTERN UGANDA.

GULU-UGANDA: Recently USA Ambassador Deborah Malac launch Regional Health Integration Enhance Services North, Acholi as part of President Donald Tramp strengthening Health Services and System in North, Acholi, Uganda that took place in Goma Sub County in Nwoya District, Northern Uganda.

USAID Communication team led Anna-Maija Mattila-Litivak Communication officer while meeting group of Northern Uganda Media Club in Bomah Hotel in Gulu says USAID planned to used media in Northern Uganda for it implementation programs with USAID partners, Mattila-Litvak said.

“We want to organize media tour in Acholi Sub Region as part of monitoring our USAID programs in the areas we are working on, this could be at the end of year or early next year 2020.” USAID Communication officer notes.

Currently the Regional Health Integrations to Enhance Services-North Acholi (RHITES-N. Acholi) activity is a USD $23.3 million, five yea initiative that build on USAID investment s and national advance in the region to increase access to and use of high-quality integrated services that accelerate the ability and capacity of health facilities to response to health needs of area residence was launched.

RHITES-N. Acholi is implemented by the University Research Co. LLC (URC) and supported by Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-G). Infection Disease Institute (IDI) AND PANAGORA Group, LLC.

The Activity enhances health districts’ capacity to supply proven best practices across HIV; tuberculosis (TB); maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) reproductive health (RH); Family planning and (FP); MALARIA; NUTRITION; AND WATER SANITATION AND HYGGINE (WASH) services. RHITES –N. Acholi aims to improve services and access for all citizens and achieve break-through results in the eight districts of Agago, Amuru, Gulu, Kitgum, Lamwo, Nwoya, Omoro and Pader.

RHITES-N. Acholi works with a variety of partners to increase health care provider availability, improve commodity access, promote effective operation and maintenance of infrastructure and equipment, and improve management and governance of health services.

The Activity implements district-led health system approach to foster a sustainable and transparent program by working in close collaboration with Ministry of Health, District Local Governments, the private sector, civil society organizations and others USAID implementing partners, and community-based structure and institutions.

RHITES-N. Acholi build on past USAID-supported effects in the region including Northern Uganda Malaria and Tuberculosis Program (NUMAT), Northern Uganda Health Integration to enhance services (NUHITES). Applying science to strengthen and improve system (ASSIST), and strengthening Uganda’s system to treat AIDS Nationally (SUSTAIN) projects.

On Voucher, Uganda Has made significant in maternal and newborn health, but progress in the North and east of the Country has lagged behind. Women often delay seeking the care they need or do not seek care at all, because they lack money or do not realize that they need medical health for an emergency relating to childbirth.

“They have difficulty reaching an appropriate obstetric facility which may be far away, and adequate care is not always available, even at appropriate facilities. These challenges poss serious threats to maternal lives and newborn lives.” Statement said.

USAID is working with the Uganda Ministry of Health is committed to ending preventable maternal and child death and recognizes that Uganda must increase the role that the private sector play to expand quality services for mothers and babies.

USAID’s  Voucher plus activity addresses the need y expanding access to quality maternal and newborn heath services in the private sector for poor women who cannot afford the fees, the activity aims to increase safe pregnancies and safe deliveries through the private sector in 33 districts in northern and eastern Uganda.

The detail program indicates that private services providers are constructed to provide a defined package of maternal and newborn health care services (four antenatal care visits, prevention of mother-to child transmission of HIV safe delivery, referral for complication, postnatal care and post-partum family planning). In exchange for voucher, which are sold at discounted, affordable rates? Village Health Team members inform communities about the voucher scheme and access pregnant women’s eligibility to purchase vouchers. Participating facilities are then reimbursed by voucher plus for the services they provide.

USAID further argues stakeholders that by improving the quality of health services in participating private providers and increasing demand for safe motherhood services, voucher plus increase safe facility-based deliveries and reduces maternal and newborn illness and death.

The activity builds the capacity of private providers to offer quality services by providing trainings, on-site mentoring and coaching supportive supervision and ongoing monitoring of the quality of care offered. To strengthen health systems, the activity helps private providers contribute to the Ministry of Health Information System.

In conclusion, by fostering new relationship between patients and private health facilities and improving quality to care, USAID is helping to develop a sustainable privates health care system for maternal and newborn health services in Northern Uganda.

This activity also contributes to the body of knowledge on the role that voucher programs play in supporting results-based financing schemes, which are designed to help poor and vulnerable people live healthier lives by linking incentives with result.