Maternal and child health Dawn Editorial
There are serious concerns over the management of the Rs20bn maternal, newborn and child health programme (2007-2012) that is supposed to cover approximately 110 million people countrywide.
With just five years left until the 2015 UN Millennium Development Goals’ deadline, international sponsors of the MNCH programme are pessimistic that the latter’s objectives will be achieved, especially if doubts regarding its financial transparency are not addressed. That such concerns have emerged is not surprising. Although several positive initiatives have been introduced under the programme, such as the lady health workers’ and community midwives’ schemes, they need closer monitoring and evaluation. For instance, if those involved do not follow the proper protocol in maternal and child healthcare delivery, it would not only amount to wasted training but also cause more harm than good. Moreover, the delay in reintroducing a proper local government system nationwide has also raised concerns about accountability. The programme is structured as a national-level one, owned and managed by the districts. It is premised on the district health system as the vehicle for continued, integrated care for mothers, newborns and children, although the programme also seeks to make its services accessible at other levels.
It is necessary to monitor the funds for maximum efficiency as well as ensure the timely disbursement of allocations. The mobilisation of additional resources to fund service-delivery gaps is equally important. The latter is particularly crucial given the recent floods. Finally, the government cannot be expected to achieve the MDGs alone. The best way to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and improve our maternal and child health indicators — amongst the lowest in the world — is to encourage and strengthen public-private partnerships in improving the availability of services for maternal and child health and in increasing community awareness.
With just five years left until the 2015 UN Millennium Development Goals’ deadline, international sponsors of the MNCH programme are pessimistic that the latter’s objectives will be achieved, especially if doubts regarding its financial transparency are not addressed. That such concerns have emerged is not surprising. Although several positive initiatives have been introduced under the programme, such as the lady health workers’ and community midwives’ schemes, they need closer monitoring and evaluation. For instance, if those involved do not follow the proper protocol in maternal and child healthcare delivery, it would not only amount to wasted training but also cause more harm than good. Moreover, the delay in reintroducing a proper local government system nationwide has also raised concerns about accountability. The programme is structured as a national-level one, owned and managed by the districts. It is premised on the district health system as the vehicle for continued, integrated care for mothers, newborns and children, although the programme also seeks to make its services accessible at other levels.
It is necessary to monitor the funds for maximum efficiency as well as ensure the timely disbursement of allocations. The mobilisation of additional resources to fund service-delivery gaps is equally important. The latter is particularly crucial given the recent floods. Finally, the government cannot be expected to achieve the MDGs alone. The best way to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and improve our maternal and child health indicators — amongst the lowest in the world — is to encourage and strengthen public-private partnerships in improving the availability of services for maternal and child health and in increasing community awareness.
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