Project Name: MaMoni Maternal and New born Care Strengthening Project (MaMoni-MNCSP)
Project Implementation Period: 01 April 2019 to 31 September 2022
Funding Agencies: USAID through Save the Children
Project Areas: Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Mymensingh and Netrokona district
Total Project budget: 90,873,415
Project goal/objective: Increased Equitable Utilization of Quality MNC Services from government health centers.
Background:
The “USAID’s MaMoni Maternal and Newborn Care Strengthening Project (MaMoni MNCSP)” was a five years project which contributed USAID Bangladesh’s Country Development Strategy goal and the Objective 3, Health Status Improvement through the project objective of increased equitable utilization of quality maternal and newborn care services. The MaMoni-MNCSP’s strategic objective aligned with USAID/Bangladesh and Government of Bangladesh (GoB) priorities to target the major causes of maternal and newborn deaths.
The project has been awarded to Save the Children in Bangladesh under the USAID’s cooperative agreement, Cooperative Agreement No. 720388-18-CA00002 supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development. Again for wide range and smooth implementation, SAVE the Children in Bangladesh has awarded this five-year project (April 2018 to April 2023) to several Bangladeshi organizations based on geographic location; DASCOH Foundation is one of them and made a partnership agreement. In order to achieve impact at scale the project’s approaches are to:
*** Catalyze effective scale up of proven MNC interventions and approaches with quality in priority geographic areas
*** Expand the evidence and test new MNC innovations in learning sites
*** Facilitate national health systems improvements and policy changes for sustained impact at scale
DASCOH Foundation was assigned to foster a responsive district health system for delivering evidence based patient centered MNC services under a customized comprehensive district planning, review and local level leadership. We supported strengthening district level capacity, improving quality of MNC services and QoC governance, improving access and demand for MNC services and household practices and improving GOB’s capacity to deliver quality MNC services at scale.
The MaMoni Maternal and Newborn Care Strengthening Project (MaMoni MNCSP) was a comprehensive initiative implemented by DASCOH with support from Save the Children and funding from USAID, running from April 2019 to March 2023. Its primary objective was to significantly reduce neonatal and maternal mortality rates by 2022, aligning with national and international priorities. DASCOH worked with 145 CCs, 305 UH&FWCs, 28 UHCs, 6 Union level MCWC,2 Upazila MCWCs and 3 District Hospitals. DASCOH spearheaded field-based interventions across four key districts: Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Mymensingh, and Netrokona. Key interventions included forming dedicated project teams, activating health management committees, strengthening stakeholder coordination, and promoting data-driven decision-making processes, facilitating participatory planning, enhancing the local health system, engaging local government, and developing a robust performance monitoring plan in collaboration with Save the Children. A core strategy of the project was providing regular supportive supervision and leadership in quality improvement initiatives, such as clinical mentorship and Quality Improvement Committees (QICs). MaMoni MNCSP aimed to raise the standard of maternal and newborn care services by ensuring the availability of skilled providers, standard operating procedures, essential drugs, equipment, and supplies across 826 facilities. Social accountability mechanisms, including suggestion boxes and help desks, were implemented to collect and utilize client feedback, enhancing service provision and overall quality. The project focused on strengthening maternal and newborn healthcare services through strategic interventions and partnerships. Leveraging the UzDCC platform, MaMoni organized yearly meetings in low-performing upazilas to bolster MNH services. A "Zero Home Delivery" campaign targeted areas with 24/7 UH&FWCs, while the integration of the Community Mobilization Platform (cMP) into Community Group (CG) meetings advocated for funding to enhance the capacity of CG members.
Moreover, the project engaged the private sector in implementing MNH interventions and provided technical support for strengthening health systems. Overall, MaMoni MNCSP made significant strides in enhancing maternal and newborn healthcare services through its multifaceted interventions, strategic partnerships, and capacity-building efforts, ultimately contributing to the reduction of neonatal and maternal mortality rates in Bangladesh. Moreover, the project engaged the private sector in implementing MNH interventions and provided technical support for strengthening health systems.