Project for Improving Continuum of Care for Mothers and Children through the Introduction of Combined MCH Record Book

Ghana

Ghana Health Service (GHS)

April, 2018 to April, 2021

Position

Project Coordinator

SDGs

In Ghana, the improvement of the health status of mothers and children is considered a high priority. Despite great efforts made to address this issue, the neonatal, and under-five and maternal mortality ratios remain high at 29 per thousand live births, 60 per thousand live births (the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (2014 GDHS)), and 319 per 100,000 live births (the Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG)), respectively.

In response to these issues, the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) developed an Integrated Maternal and Child Health Record Book (MCH RB) with technical and financial support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The main purpose is to fill the gaps of maternal and child health services with better coverage of continuum of care (CoC). Ghana has been utilizing two separate home-based record books for mothers and children over the last few decades. However, there are various challenges to promote CoC as there is a crack between delivery/post-natal care and childcare.

This project is expected to contribute to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improve maternal and child health by facilitating high- quality CoC for mothers and children throughout Ghana. It will also strengthen individualized health and nutrition counselling for mothers and children, and develop educational materials which will help health workers provide such services.