Focus on: Malaria in Pregnancy
Community Reproductive Health in Kenya
There is now a global realization that programs are needed to strengthen the
relationship between communities and health facilities.
For example, the World
Health Organization Making Pregnancy Safer
Initiative notes the importance of working with individuals, families and communities and
linking them with facility-based care. This approach helps to ensure a continuum of care
throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum and newborn periods. To be effective,
the continuum of care should extend from the woman, her family and the community to include
the health care provider and health services, including access to essential obstetric and
neonatal care of high quality.
The Division of Reproductive Health and Division of Malaria Control of the
Kenya Ministry of Health (MOH) have expressed a need to put more emphasis on the community
component of reproductive health programs. To respond to this need, Jhpiego provided
technical support to the MOH in the development of a Community Orientation Package
that raises awareness around comprehensive reproductive health services with a focus
on malaria in pregnancy (MIP). Jhpiego is also helping to implement the package in
three districts—Makueni, Bondo and Kwale—where health care providers had been oriented
to focused antenatal care (ANC) and MIP.
Through this initiative, Jhpiego is building on best practices to reduce
infant and maternal mortality in targeted districts. The initiative targets existing community
resource persons to create awareness of key issues in safe motherhood and MIP. Community
health workers oriented at the community level acquire knowledge and skills so that they
can mobilize their communities to seek appropriate care and improve safe motherhood
practices.
The orientation package emphasizes the following:
- The role of individuals, families and communities in focused ANC
- Effective approaches to MIP and accessing services
- Clean and safe delivery
- The use of skilled attendants for childbirth
Linking communities with the health facility encourages the dialogue
necessary to achieve commitment from health care providers, community members and health
officials to improve safe motherhood practices. These efforts are essential for achieving
positive and lasting program outcomes.
More Information
Additional information about Jhpiego's work in malaria in
pregnancy is available on both the Jhpiego and
ACCESS web sites.
For additional resources on focused antenatal care and malaria
in pregnancy, browse the
MCH section of our Publications Catalog and the
Publications page of the ACCESS Web site.
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