Jhpiego awarded grants to strengthen health care in the nature-ravaged countries of
Indonesia and Pakistan
Jhpiego awarded $356,470 by The Ford Foundation to continue post-tsunami work in Banda Aceh,
Indonesia, and $42,000 by American Refugee Committee for pilot program in post-earthquake Pakistan
30 May 2006
Jhpiego, an affiliate of The Johns Hopkins University, was awarded $356,470 by
The Ford Foundation to continue its work strengthening midwifery education at Poltekkes and
Akbid Muhammadiyah schools in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. This grant will allow for ongoing support
and crucial follow-up to Jhpiego’s relief work after the tsunami.
"Our work in Aceh is vital on two levels. We’re helping to strengthen the health
care system after serious damage by the tsunami, but our work is also helping provide women with
skills to serve an important role within their community, while instilling pride and a sense of
self-worth through economic opportunity," explains Maryjane Lacoste, Jhpiego Regional and Country
Director for Indonesia.
Since the South Asian tsunami hit in December 2004, Jhpiego and its partners have
aided in the reconstruction of the public and private sector health care system. They have
rebuilt and repaired community health clinics and midwifery schools, provided updated equipment
and conducted staff training to ensure high-quality services and compliance to national standards.
Under the new grant, Jhpiego will continue to improve the overall quality of midwifery education
at two key midwifery schools in Aceh by strengthening classroom teaching, laboratory practice
and clinical services at all levels—hospital, puskemas (community health clinics) and village
midwifery clinics. Jhpiego will also ensure that the training given to midwifery students is
correctly implemented and fully institutionalized and the leadership and management of
midwifery education are stable and long-lasting.
A midwife is the village's first point of contact for primary care and referral.
The education of new and practicing midwives is therefore one of the key factors in reestablishing
and improving health care in Indonesia.
"We are not a relief organization, but because of our long term presence and
expertise in capacity building and women and family health, Jhpiego has been active in post-tsunami
work in Aceh. We are now expanding our capabilities and presence into Pakistan to help with
its post-disaster needs. Due to the limited resources that health care providers face working
in these settings with refugees and internally displaced persons, Jhpiego has the opportunity
to make a real difference with technical training for providers and innovative, low-cost health
care solutions for the women and families of Pakistan," comments Dr. Leslie Mancuso, President
and CEO of Jhpiego.
The American Refugee Committee (ARC) awarded Jhpiego a $42,000 grant to begin work
in the post-earthquake region of Pakistan. Jhpiego will conduct a one-week pilot "training of
trainers" in the Bagh Tehsil region. The goal of this short project is to enhance the medical
and training capacity of local ARC senior staff in Bagh Tehsil to improve the performance of
health care providers and other professionals who support the service delivery environment.
Technical updates in emergency obstetric care, family planning and infection prevention,
and a clinical training skills course, will be conducted.
About Jhpiego
For nearly 40 years, Jhpiego, (pronounced "ja-pie-go"), has empowered front-line health
workers by designing and implementing simple, low-cost, hands-on solutions that
strengthen the delivery of health care services, following the
household-to-hospital continuum of care. We partner with community- to
national-level organizations to build sustainable, local capacity through
advocacy, policy and guidelines development, and quality and performance
improvement approaches.
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