GENDER AND DIGNIFIED RESPECTFUL CARE

Currently the CHMTs and Mama na mtoto are conducting follow-up visits to nine (9) health facilities in Misungwi DC for gender and dignified respectful care as part of improving Maternal, newborn and child health. Mwawile is among the Facility which decided to involve community members to implement the activity through designing garden at their facility so as to make the environment clean and attractive. The team had a great moment with community members and enjoyed being part of this Innovation.

Health System Strengthening through Communication in Kwimba District

Mobility service for health facilities launched in Kwimba District

Last week, our Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) team launched an inter-facility Closed User Group (CUG) service in Kwimba District. Attended by facility supervisors, the Kwimba Council Health Management Team and district leaders, the launch event saw cell phones linked via the CUG distributed to 52 public health facilities. The devices are aimed to improve the referral system in the district by providing health facilities with a cost-efficient communication platform and the ability to provide more timely care to patients, especially during emergencies.

Health Systems Strengthening Coordinator Magdalena Mwaikambo and the Kwimba District leadership team present new phones for the district’s health facilities.

A Closed User Group is a mobility service that provides toll-free calling and messaging between phones of the same group. Each health facility received a connected phone also set up with data. An additional six were provided to district management so that government officers can more readily support facilities. In the past, health facilities depended on personal resources to communicate with other health facilities and district management.

“Communication between health facilities was difficult because [health facility staff] were using personal cell phones and had to load airtime periodically,” says Elisante Shao, data/IT officer at Mama na Mtoto, “But through the Closed User Group, each facility will only pay 2500 Tsh (equivalent to about $1.42CAD) a year for unlimited talk time and messaging with other facilities.

An effective and sustainable referral system is also particularly important in rural Tanzania where facilities are far apart and connected by rough dirt roads. For example, during the rainy season, frequent floods can hinder transportation between facilities. The ability for immediate communication between dispensaries (most basic health facilities), health centers, and/or hospitals can address transport problems and mitigate delays to patient treatment.

Success Story from Catherine Paul

Catherine standing in front of Mbarika operating theater

I am Catherine (26) living in Ngaya hamlet, Ngaya Village, Mbarika ward. During my pregnancy, Yohana Busumabu, the community health worker (CHW) has been visiting my family providing health education especially on the importance of immunization, attending clinic with my husband, danger signs, eating a balanced diet, personal delivery plan, family planning, gender related issues, friendly health services and equity.

I was able to deliver my beloved son Loveness Lewis at Mbarika health center, thanks to God and the good services offered by the facility staff. I really appreciate the construction of the  Mbarika theater and the technical skills provided by the Mama na Mtoto project. These facility improvements solved the travel distance previously required to get quality medical health services at Misasi health center or Misungwi hospital.

I encourage my fellow women in Mbarika to attend our health center since the services provided at our facility are safe and friendly to all clients.

Translated from Sukuma Language below.

“Nalumba kutuzengela Sipitali ya kubyalila ha Mbarika abha mradi gwa Mama na Mtoto, tukuyiza ulutulibhudito, nakubhawila na bhakima bhangi bize, tulibhona mihayo ya bhelile shi kuleka i kale, yaliyagikogiko du, na bhasomi bhalinduhu, nulu bugota wahee na bhamkijiji bhalinduhu, mkabheja Mama na Mtoto aho g’wa balanja akikalile na katumamile pyeee.

Pya abanhu bha tengwa kuhudumilwa sawagete bhose ni kaya bha mayu kusabha shikolo nulu kuguja watumamila milemo ya wiza ha kaya. Yohana Busumabu aliyumba kila kona kulanja afya ya kubyala mpaga twabyala Loveness Lewis lelo myeji mpungati kushikashi” Said Catherine Paul

Catherine Paul (26), Ngaya hamlet, Ngaya Village, Mbarika Ward, Misungwi DC, April 2^nd, 2019 (literally translated from Kisukuma Language to English by Leonard Masele-CEPO, MnM)

Success story from Mariam Elias

My name is Mariam Elias (24), I have 6 children. I reside in Isesa ward and was admitted to Mbarika Health Center after being referred by Isesa facility due to noticed signs of danger. I delivered a premature baby (7 months, 2.3 kg) and was advised to use kangaroo method for the survival of the baby. I have received the required medical services to save me and the child, which  would not have been possible if I delivered with traditional birth attendants (TBA).

I intend to incentivize pregnant women to get rid of TBAs. I also wish to educate communities on the importance of social equity opportunities at the family and facility level, how to develop personal delivery plans, and raise awareness of the free and friendly health services that I experienced during my delivery.

Appreciation is due to the Mama na Mtoto project for improving Mbarika's health center. They donated the high quality Operating theater and trained facility staff  to offer conducive and desirable services.

“Nalitanwa Mere Ng’wana Elias (24), nalinambyala 6, nabyalile ka ndebile ka myeji mpungati 2.3 kilo, nalajiwe hanaha Mbarika, nakwikalaga ikala ikaya Isesa. Kandebile nalikalabada ku nzila ya KANGAROO umo nalanjiwa na batumami bha nesi, yaya ukuja kubha kunga bha jadi. Nalilumba gete i huduma jabo nsogashi mayu, pye abha gosha na bhakima kulabada i sabho na kusibitali nduhu u kwibagula, nulu aha kaya shene du, na bha nesi bhalanjiwa na Mama na Mtoto e kikalile” Mariam Elias said

Mariam Elias (24), Isesa village, Isesa Ward, Misungwi DC, April 2^nd, 2019 (Literally translated from Sukuma language to English by Leonard Masele – CEPO, MnM)

Gender and equality professional development workshop in Misungwi

Happy International Women’s Day from all of us here at Mama na Mtoto Tanzania! 

Recently, we completed a 3 day gender equality professional development workshop in Misungwi which engaged local health leaders in conversations about women’s rights issues and maternal health.

The workshop aimed to increase awareness about gender as a determinant of health, promote women empowerment and discuss strategies to improve dignified and respectful maternal health care delivery. The workshop ended with concrete action planning to problem solve ways in which local health facilities can become more gender-responsive and mother-friendly.

 

We thank all the strong and empowered leaders who helped facilitate and participate in the recent workshop.

CHW COORDINATORS ORIENTATION IN KWIMBA

Mama na Mtoto project in the effort to improve capacity to promote and protect the health of current and future mothers and children, has been training Community Health Workers in the district of Kwimba. A total of 887 CHW were trained. After the training CHWs are grouped according to Health facility whereby in each group one CHW is chosen as a coordinator. After getting these coordinators they are oriented to empower them with skills and capacity to lead the group and cooperate with their Supervisors in order to ensure sustainability of the program.

On 5^th and 6^th February 2019 a total of 54 CHW coordinators were oriented ready to serve their respective communities.

Health Home Innovation

Health Home Innovation(HHI) competition aimed at promoting community based hygiene intervention that will, improve the living conditions at the household level and to reduce common water and sanitation related diseases. HHI involved engagement of CHWs, CHW supervisors and local government leaders to ensure critical and effective implementation of integration of healthy homes to at least each hamlet. The main objective of HHI is to promote community based hygiene to reduce Water and Sanitation Hygiene(WASH) diseases through ensuring the environment are clean and free from waste spread diseases.

After the various training and community sensitization then came the evaluation phase. Judges were chosen to visit households of participants and determine who did the best in having a Healthy home. Evaluation of the winner were assessed based on the HHI criteria that focuses on household surroundings that have energy saving stove, Drying rack with proper drainage, clean latrines with a finished floor and has a cover and is not leaking and no bushes, hand-washing facility/tippy tap, neat kitchen, vegetable garden etc.

Clean tiled bathroom

Hand washing facility/tippy tap

Clean latrine with cover

Well built latrine and bathroom with a roof and tippy tap

Drying rack

The exercises was done successfully whereby in each hamlet there was one winner and then the winner at hamlets competed to get one winner at village level, likewise the winner at village level dwelling in one ward competed to get one ward winner. On the other hand CHWs were competing to get one model CHW at each village.

Winners at Shilalo with CHWs posing for a group photo with Mama na Mtoto Field Manager and staff

Winner at hamlet level were given a pair of Khanga while the winner at village level were given batik and the winner at ward level were given batik and plastic water container. At the same time CHW model were given batik and certificate of recognition for their hard work.

Winner at Fela ward with Mama na Mtoto Program officers and CHW representative

Health Systems strengthening

Mama na Mtoto Project through Health Systems Strengthening Component made survey of Health Facilities in Kwimba District determining what improvements should be made in order to maintain the quality of medical data, so as  to produce accurate reports that help in various Health related activities such as District planning and budgeting for health services improvement among others. Sumve hospital, Malya, Nyamilama and Nyambiti health Centres received electronic  gadgets from MnM via DMO's office, additionally three brand new laptops were given to HMISCO  DCHWCO and DRCHCO.
Such health services improvements are believed to contribute to the reduction of maternal, child and new born death as being the main focus of Mama na Mtoto project.

Supportive Supervision visit to Kwimba District (Malya Health Centre)

Health System Strengthening (HSS) is one of the units of Mama na Mtoto Project with aim of improving Maternal Newborn and Child health. In collaboration with Council Health Management Team CHMT, HSS usually conducts supportive supervision visits to Health facilities within project area. These visits aimed at improved health services for better health outcome at all levels with more focus on Maternal, Newborn and Children.

The Mama na Mtoto project team in cooperation with Council Health Management Team (CHMT), visited a newly appointed District Commissioner for Kwimba (Bi SENYI SIMON NGAGA). Aiming at giving a short summary of the Project. Preventing a maternal and child death is saving a life.

Kwimba DC and Mama na Mtoto team in a meeting

Kwimba DC and Mama na Mtoto team in a meeting

The newly appointed DC in her remarks suggested that there should be ways of preventing early pregnancies especially to school children who have not fully developed reproductive age. Early childhood pregnancies have also been observed to contribute to maternal, newborn and early childhood deaths especially in her district KWIMBA. 

Pre-supervision meeting at Malya Health Centre. This meeting usually is used to make a follow up on implementation plan of last supervision while continue to build capacity to health facility staff through coaching and mentorship.

Supportive Supervision team, appreciated Infection Prevention Control (IPC) in Malya Health Center Labor room.

Arrival of Mama na Mtoto Project team members, at Kwimba District Medical Officer’s office located at Ngudu Hospital.

DIGITAL STORY TELLING

NATASHA HOEHN

TUMSIFU MATUTU

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Operation room mentorship at New Mbarika Operating theater done 22nd November 2018

Operation room mentor-ship done before full function procedure to prepare equipment and staff ready for a realy procedure, the exercise was done at Mbarika to prepare for the opening and be ready for full function, The team were CHMT member, TT from CUHAS, MnM staff and Staff from Mbarika Health Facility. Staff from Mbarika were Ist involved in one week training in Bugando Medical Center. It was useful to detect the weakness and have way forward to full functioning operating room.

Facilitators having a feedback meeting after the drill session

C-section in progress

Ready to perform operation

Proper and standard way of organizing operating tools

Proper wrapping of operating equipment

Proper way of folding operating equipment to avoid infection from surroundings

New operating room equipped and ready for full function

Various Publications

CUHAS presentation Dr Manasseh

Dismas abstract CUHAS 2017

Dismas unintended Consequence November 2017

Facility-reported maternal care-seeking pre- and post- introduction of volunteer Community Health Workers in Misungwi District, Mwanza Region

Impact of the Hands-On Simulation Workshop for Key Labour & Delivery and Neonatal

Interrater Reliability for HBB HMS Abstract 2018

Pendo abstract CUHAS 2017submitted

Synergy_Mid-Term reflection with dm edits 07.11.2018_hfm

Use of DST to address MNCH Poster_Portrait_9-11-2018_NH

Success story from Mwankulwe Bugunga Nyashigi (Monica Jullius testimony)

MONICA JULLIUS (27) FROM MWANKULWE BUGUNGA                                            NYASHIGI

“WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SEE HER VISITING OUR FAMILY”

“It was the 8^th month of my pregnancy when Suku (CHW) visited my home, out of telling me so many things she identified that I had dangerous signs yet I thought that they were normal pregnancy complications. She gave me referral which helped me to get a quick and good treatment at Mwankule dispensary.

In addition, she told me about the importance of having personal delivery plan. After telling me, I started to keep some amount of money, which I believed that it would help me to get some of things that will help me during delivery period.

 It worked out because that money I kept helped me to get transport to Mwankulwe dispensary because my husband was not around during my labor pain, even after being discharged from hospital she keeps on visiting me and my family we are all happy to see her in our home”