HAI program in Timor-Leste featured on C-Change web site
Jun 19, 2009
Health Alliance International’s maternal and child health program in Timor-Leste is featured on the web site C-Change, which is supported by USAID and spotlights innovative approaches in social and behavior change communication.
The project highlighted on the web site is a 5-year effort to improve maternal health and newborn care. HAI worked with the Timorese Ministry of Health to identify key needs for pregnant women and mothers to increase skilled birth attendance and good health practices. The Ministry and HAI then partnered to strengthen various aspects of the government’s health system, including facility construction, health workforce training and supervision, and data collection and management. In addition, HAI helped to create a film (available online) on safe birth practices and supported street theater, a set of radio spots and a series of free community screenings and discussion groups to increase families’ knowledge and build trust that the health care services reflect traditional cultural practices.
A 2008 evaluation of the project showed how successful these approaches have been. The percentage of mothers with children under age 2 who received one or more antenatal care visits increased from 50% to 82%. In addition, the percentage of women who deliver with a skilled attendant more than doubled, from 15% to 32%. The HAI-Timor program looks forward to extending these improvements and further building the capacity of the Ministry of Health to expand these programs throughout the country.
The project was funded through a Child Survival grant from USAID. The full evaluation report from 2008 is also posted on C-Change.