Christian Health Associations Target Maternal and Child Health in Africa

“FBOs have a very important role in addressing maternal mortality…[they are] well positioned to help reduce maternal mortality rates,” began the call to action by Jude Edochie, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund/Ghana, at a recent gathering of faith-based organizations.

CapacityPlus, in collaboration with Cordaid, organized a panel on the health workforce and maternal and child health as part of the Fifth Biennial Africa Christian Health Associations Conference, Improving Women’s and Children’s Health in Africa: FBO Response to MDG Targets, held in Ghana in February.

Several Christian Health Associations presented human resources initiatives designed to improve maternal and child health service delivery:

• Stenford Zulu of the Churches Health Association of Zambia discussed the James Cairns Training Institute, staff retention schemes implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, and the impact that performance-based financing has on facility human resources.

• Dr. Jane Kahabi of the Christian Social Services Commission in Tanzania explained the role that service agreements play between local faith-based health care facilities and district health teams for the provision of health care personnel. She also discussed the importance of quality data in health worker placement decision-making.

• Dr. Ebunabo Ebunas of the Eglise du Christ au Congo presented the maternal and child health impact that can be made with appropriately trained health workers.

Organized by the Africa Christian Health Association Platform and partners, the conference hosted 75 participants, representing three continents and over 30 organizations. Building on the Capacity Project's achievements—such as increasing the number of Christian Health Associations committed to focusing on the health workforce and human resources management—CapacityPlus is helping to strengthen and support the Platform and its members.

Related items:

• The Key Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Strengthening Human Resources for Health

• HRH Global Resource Center Creates Subject Guide on Faith-Based Organizations

• Faith-Based Organizations Tackle Women’s and Children’s Health

Photo by Erika Pearl. (Dr. Jane Kahabi, Christian Social Services Commission, and Dr. Samuel Mwenda, Christian Health Association of Kenya, at the conference)