Improving maternal and child health care for vulnerable populations

The project aims to reduce the mortality rate among mothers and children in Bujumbura, Burundi, specifically in the health district of Musaga, a densely populated and particularly poor working-class area. The project aims to increase the usage rates of essential health services by mothers, pregnant women, newborns and children under age five. The AMIE project aims to increase the involvement of Canadians in Canada’s development efforts.

Results achieved over the last 3 years (2016-2019).

Increase in the usages rates of essential health services by mothers, pregnant women, newborns and children under age five.
-Six people (5w/1m) were recruited (coordinator, physician, social worker, nurse, nutritionist).
-The Centre is equipped with medical equipment (ultrasound, fetal monitor, electronic fetoscope, obstetric stethoscope, sterilizer, vaccine fridge, etc.)
-13 training sessions for ambassadors were held with the participation of 12 ambassadors (10 women and 2 men) on topics such as ambassadors’ role, the importance of the PNC, child vaccination, sexual and reproductive health, and family planning. The ambassadors then organize an average of 3 awareness activities per month in their community. In total, over the past 3 years, 1,078 awareness activities have reached 4,192 women and 2,138 men, for a total of 6,330 people reached within the population.

-125 radio spots were aired for raising the public’s awareness about topics such as: HIV and family screening; ending spousal, physical and emotional abuse; the importance of ultrasounds; husbands’ involvement in the PNC; etc. The radio spots are perceived as positive within the population and are resulting in new clients at the Centre.

Improved delivery of essential health services provided to mothers, pregnant women, newborns, and children under age five:
-A total of 971 clients (845 for PNC and 126 for PMTCT) were admitted for PNC (medical, nutritional, psychological). There were 534 deliveries with 530 live births. A frequency of 1.1 visits of women and children in the consultations was recorded. A number of clients are very disadvantaged, including one severely disabled woman. The physician notes that many women who come to the project have no knowledge about pregnancy monitoring. However, through the learnings regarding monitoring, women are improving their knowledge about pregnancy monitoring.

-231 nutrition workshops (cooking, OME, teaching) were given to clients about the most balanced diet for pregnant women and children. Protein biscuits were distributed to mothers and children suffering from malnutrition.

-1,306 new children were admitted to the program, and 3,881 pieces of anthropometric data were taken. Anthropometric measurements are taken once a month in order to track children’s nutrition and to monitor the increase in weight of newborns.
-285 vulnerable women were eligible for the distribution of IGAs for a secure exit. Each one received an amount of 100,000FBu in a microfinance account at the Caisse d’épargne et de Crédit Mutuel (CECM) in their name. All the women started a small business; in other words, they buy a quantity of a product in bulk (fruits and vegetables) and sell it retail at the market. Those small businesses help promote women’s financial empowerment, reduce poverty and prevent children from falling into malnutrition, after exiting the program.

-4 Canadian experts from the SOGC gave training sessions about the ALARM program to Burundi’s health stakeholders in September 2017 and May 2018.
5 training courses have been provided to a total of 126 people since the project started. The people trained are the health care providers from the health centres of the Mairie Sud health district and the other partner hospitals of the APECOS.

Increased involvement of Canadians in Canada’s development efforts:
-6 articles were written for the magazine Perspective infirmière, the newspaper Le Soleil, Le Devoir, Quebec’s local newspapers, and Journal SOGC (publication forthcoming).

-35 articles were posted on our blog L’AMIE around the world covering different topics every month (ambassadors, nutrition, prenatal consultation, etc.) and that are posted on our Facebook page and our monthly newsletter.

-5 conferences and a symposium on maternal and child health were organized. For the conferences, three were organized by L’AMIE in Quebec City and the other two were organized by partners in cooperation with L’AMIE.
-L’AMIE ran 16 information booths at various events.