Project Votsira
Project Votsira, which means ‘the state of well-being of a new mother and her child’ in Malagasy, is an awareness-raising and behavioural change project that collaborates with the Ministry of Public Health to improve maternal and child health outcomes in Fort Dauphin, southeast Madagascar.
Access to Maternal and Child Health Services
Despite remarkable advances over the past two decades, Madagascar is far from achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal targets for maternal and child mortality (SDG 3.1 and 3.2).1 Every day, ten women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, and over 100 children under five years old die from preventable childhood diseases such as acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and malnutrition.2,3 These challenges are amplified in the southeast Anosy region of Madagascar, where knowledge of maternal and child health is low, and health services are often understaffed and poorly equipped.4
SEED’s Response
Since 2013, Project Votsira has responded to these challenges by delivering a maternal and child health education course in Fort Dauphin, the regional capital of Anosy. Designed in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health, the education course aims to foster positive behaviour change and empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and the health of their child. The nine-module course covers a range of context-appropriate topics, such as:
- Antenatal Visits
- Acute Respiratory Infections
- Vaccinations
- Colostrum
- Breastfeeding
- Nutrition
- Family Planning
- Diarrhoea
- Syphilis and HIV
To promote the health and well-being of mothers and their children, trained community health workers deliver the 4-month maternal and child health curriculum through weekly education sessions and household visits. Since 2013, they have conducted approximately 2,156 education sessions and 14,645 household visits, reaching over 7,100 mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and mothers-to-be with essential maternal and child health information.
Another pillar of Project Votsira focuses on supporting medical practitioners in delivering life-saving maternal and child health services through top-up specialist training. Through this training, Project Votsira aims to reduce the inherent risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth by enhancing the quality and accessibility of maternal and child healthcare across the region.
In essence, Project Votsira addresses critical gaps in maternal and child health knowledge and empowers caregivers to identify and seek treatment for common childhood illnesses. Through these activities, Project Votsira seeks to safeguard the health and well-being of mothers and their children across Fort Dauphin.
Next steps for Votsira Phase 4 in 2024
- Deliver the maternal and child health education course to 1,880 mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and mothers-to-be.
- Ensure the growth and development of 22 community health workers through regular training and monthly meetings.
- Deliver a maternal and child health sensitisation campaign to raise awareness and promote healthcare practices within the community.
- Enhance the capacity of 22 medical practitioners by aligning their practices with the SONU (Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care) technical training guidelines.
- Foster collaboration among maternal and child health stakeholders.
Donors
Project Votsira has been made possible thanks to funding from the Aeonian Foundation, the James Tudor Foundation, and Clark Mitchell.
References:
1. Sachs, J.D., Lafortune, G., Fuller, G., Drumm, E. Implementing the SDG Stimulus. Sustainable Development Report; 2023. Doi: 10.25546/102924
2. USAID. Maternal and Child Health [internet]; 2018. Available from:
https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/USAID-Madagascar-MCH-English-Fact-Sheet.pdf
3. UNICEF. Madagascar [internet]; 2018. Available from: https://data.unicef.org/country/mdg/
4. Morris J. Assessment of Maternal and Child Health in Fort Dauphin. SEED Madagascar;
2012. Available from: https://madagascar.co.uk/application/files/6615/0399/4278/2011_-_2012_-_Assessment_of_Maternal_and_Child_Health_in_Fort_Dauphin.pdf