Women and their Children's Health (WATCH)

Results achieved as of September 2013 include: (i) developing a monitoring and evaluation framework with an online database system that aggregates data in real time to help develop better targeted more effective maternal newborn and child health programming; and (ii) developing a common understanding of the links between gender equality and better maternal newborn and child health results. For example: In Bangladesh (i) 26 family welfare clinics that had not functioned for the past 15-20 years were rehabilitated and equipped; (ii) 148 community health committees were rehabilitated and played a key role in the re-establishment of functioning health facilities; and (iii) 93 birth attendants were trained and are improving women access to quality services. In Zimbabwe (i) the technical and managerial capacity of Health Care Committees was improved; (ii) community and religious leaders were trained in maternal newborn and child health; (iii) village health worker groups were trained and in turn trained 150 care groups; (iv) five waiting mothers’ homes were built including a Kangaroo Care Ward which is a model for the country and is already contributing to reducing newborn mortality; and (v) health centres were rehabilitated. In Mali over 3 300 community groups attended maternal newborn and child health and gender equality sessions. In Ghana community health committee members and health workers were trained in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care preventing mother to child transmission of HIV safe motherhood child health and gender equality. In Ethiopia specialized training was provided to health workers Health Development Army government officers from district administration and staff from health offices women and children’s affairs health posts and health centres. These results are contributing to reducing mortality among mothers newborns and children in underserved populations by scaling up integrated health interventions and by in