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Supporting the scale-up of universal cord stump cleansing in Bangladesh: Successes and challenges

Publish Date: June 2018
Author: MCHIP

This research brief presents the learnings from the documentation study on the scale-up of cord cleansing with chlorhexidine aqueous solution (CHX) in Bangladesh between 2015 and 2018. The results of this study are intended to inform continuing efforts to expand CHX coverage and future scale-up efforts of other innovations in Bangladesh, as well as the CHX scale-up efforts of other …


Prevention and Treatment of Postpartum Hemorrhage at the Community Level: A Guide

Publish Date: July 2005
Author: MCHIP

This document examines evidence related to the prevention and treatment of PPH, or one or more of its components, at the community level and when a skilled or non-skilled birth attendant is assisting the birth. The purpose of the document is to guide policy makers, health practitioners, donors, community leaders, and program managers who are developing community-based interventions to address …


The Lancet Child Survival Series

Publish Date: June 2003
Author: WHO

A compilation of reports, articles and publication dealing with child survival.


The Unpeeled Mango

Publish Date: May 2011
Author: Marya Plotkin, Hawa Mziray, Jan Küver, Judith Prince, Kelly Curran, Hally Mahler

Men’s decisions about seeking voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) services are complex, influenced by culture, education, sexuality, gender relations, marital status, and exposure to urban or modern culture, among other factors. This qualitative assessment was conducted in February 2011 in three districts of Iringa region to inform the VMMC program implemented in Iringa, Tanzania, by the Ministry of Health and …


Quality of Care for Prevention and Management of Common Maternal and Newborn Complications: A Study of Ethiopia’s Hospitals

Publish Date: December 2011
Author: MCHIP, Ashebir Getachew, Jim Ricca, David Canto,r Barbara Rawlins, Heather Rosen, Alemnesh Tekleberhan, Linda Bartlett, Hannah Gibson

This quality of care survey was conducted in March and April of 2010 to assess the care received by mothers and newborns during antenatal and delivery care. The survey was fielded in the 19 Ethiopian hospitals with the heaviest volume of deliveries. The primary objective of the survey was to determine the frequency and quality of interventions that address direct …


A facility birth can be the time to start family planning: Postpartum intrauterine device experiences from six countries

Publish Date: June 2015
Author: Anne Pfitzer, Devon Mackenzie, Holly Blanchard, Yolande Hyjazi, Somesh Kumar, Serawit Lisanework Kassa, Bernabe Marinduque, Marie GraceMateo, Beata Mukarugwiro, Fidele Ngabo, Shabana Zaeem, Zonobia Zafar, Jeffrey Michael Smith

This MCHIP co-authored article—published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics—examines how postpartum family planning (PPFP) and postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) services were integrated into maternal care in six low- and middle-income countries, applying an insertion technique. Facilities—in Ethiopia, Guinea, India, Pakistan, Philippines and Rwanda—with high delivery volume were selected to integrate PPFP/PPIUD services into routine care. The percentages …


Family Planning Needs during the First Two Years Postpartum in Nigeria

Publish Date: January 2015
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This analysis is based on the 2013 Demographic and Health Survey data from Mozambique. It summarizes key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum.


Bondo iCCM Study: Key Findings and Recommendations

Publish Date: October 2016
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

In 2013, in collaboration with the Kenya Ministry of Health (MOH), MCHIP initiated an implementation research study to inform the MOH and its partners about the feasibility of, factors for success in, and challenges of implementing integrated community case management (iCCM). The study was completed by MCHIP’s successor, the Maternal and Child Survival Program. This brief summarizes key study findings, …


USAID’s Child Survival and Health Grants Program: Highlights from Final Evaluations in 2011

Publish Date: December 2011
Author: MCHIP

This two-page brief highlights key points from the final evaluations of nine Child Survival and Health Grants Program projects that ended in 2011.


Summary of Rapid CATCH Indicators from Child Survival and Health Grants Program (CSHGP) Projects Ending in October 2011

Publish Date: October 2012
Author: MCHIP

This report is intended to share Rapid CATCH and other select project data generated by USAID’s Child Survival and Health Grants Program projects that ended between October and December 2011. Eight of the nine projects focused on maternal, newborn and child health, while one focused on tuberculosis control.


Technical Quality Assessment of Operations Research Protocols: Child Survival and Health Grants Program

Publish Date: April 2013
Author: Jim Foreit

This evaluation assesses the relevance and quality of 24 Child Survival Health Grants Program concept papers on operations research studies submitted to MCHIP and USAID. Attachment Size OR-Concept-report.pdf 340.91 KB


Child Survival and Health Grants Program: Technical Reference Materials – Social and Behavior Change

Publish Date: January 2014
Author: MCHIP

Technical reference materials are a product of the Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition Child Survival and Health Grants Program USAID/GH/HIDN/Child Survival and Health Grants Program. These guides are not an official policy for practice; rather, they are basic everyday summaries to be used as field reference documents. Attachment Size SBC-TRM-2014.pdf 575.28 KB


Community-Based Tuberculosis Prevention and Care

Author: USAID, CORE Group, MCHIP

This international handbook for nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations (CSOs) is designed to serve as a primer for those considering joining the fight against tuberculosis (TB). It provides information on TB and how it is prevented, diagnosed and treated; how TB programs work on the ground; how communities and CSOs can get involved; and special populations that need extra attention. Included are …


Child Survival and Health Grants Program: Technical Reference Materials – Quality Improvement

Author: MCHIP, USAID ASSIST Project

Technical reference materials are a product of the Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition Child Survival and Health Grants Program USAID/GH/HIDN/Child Survival and Health Grants Program. These guides are not an official policy for practice; rather, they are basic everyday summaries to be used as field reference documents. Attachment Size Quality Improvement TRM.pdf 721.6 KB


Kenya: A Case Study on How Centrally Funded CSHGP Grants Contribute to National Programming and Mission Priorities

Author: MCHIP

This case study aims to highlight seven Child Survival and Health Grants Program nongovernmental (NGO) partners in Kenya implementing projects from 1999-2010. It depicts how the effective collaboration between USAID, international NGOs, and the Kenyan Ministry of Health influenced and supported the development, implementation, and refinement of Kenya’s community health strategy. Attachment Size Kenya-CSHGP-case-study.pdf 1.02 MB


Operations Research for Accelerating Results toward Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths

Publish Date: October 2013
Author: MCHIP

Brief highlighting work testing 30 innovative community and health system solutions in underserved, vulnerable populations across 23 countries. Attachment Size OR-Innovation-Brief.pdf 601.92 KB


USAID’s Child Survival and Health Grants Program: Highlights from Final Evaluations in 2011

Publish Date: December 2011
Author: MCHIP

This two-page brief highlights key points from the final evaluations of nine Child Survival and Health Grants Program projects that ended in 2011.


Child Survival and Health Grants Program: Technical Reference Materials – Family Planning

Publish Date: January 2013
Author: MCHIP

Technical reference materials are a product of the Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition Child Survival and Health Grants Program USAID/GH/HIDN/Child Survival and Health Grants Program. This guide aims to help users think through the ability and needs in choosing to implement a family planning project or a family planning component of an integrated health …


Child Survival and Health Grants Program: Technical Reference Materials – Immunization

Author: MCHIP

Technical reference materials are a product of the Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition Child Survival and Health Grants Program USAID/GH/HIDN/Child Survival and Health Grants Program. These guides are not an official policy for practice; rather, they are basic everyday summaries to be used as field reference documents. Attachment Size TRM Immunization 2014.pdf 536.67 KB


Child Survival and Health Grants Program: Technical Reference Materials – Maternal and Newborn Care

Author: MCHIP

Technical reference materials are a product of the Bureau for Global Health, Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition Child Survival and Health Grants Program USAID/GH/HIDN/Child Survival and Health Grants Program. These guides are not an official policy for practice; rather, they are basic everyday summaries to be used as field reference documents. Attachment Size MNC_TRM.pdf 748.57 KB


Scaling Up Early Infant Male Circumcision: Lessons From the Kingdom of Swaziland

Author: Laura Fitzgerald, Wendy Benzerga, Munamato Mirira, Tigistu Adamu, Tracey Shissler, Raymond Bitchong, Mandla Malaza, Makhosini Mamba, Paul Mangara, Kelly Curran, Thembisile Khumalo, Phumzile Mlambo, Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, Vusi Maziya

This article in the journal Global Health: Science and Practice describes MCHIP-supported program in Swaziland to introduce national early infant male circumcision into voluntary medical male circumcision programming for HIV prevention. To read the open access article, click here.


Bringing Early Infant Male Circumcision Information Home to the Family: Demographic Characteristics and Perspectives of Clients in a Pilot Project in Tanzania

Author: Mbaraka Amuri, Georgina Msemo, Marya Plotkin, Alice Christensen, Dorica Boyee, Hally Mahler, Semakaleng Phafoli, Mustafa Njozi, Augustino Hellar, Erick Mlanga, Aisha Yansaneh, Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, Jackson Lija

This article in the journal Global Health: Science and Practice describes an MCHIP-supported pilot project in Tanzania’s Iringa region to offer early infant male circumcision. To read the open access article, click here.


Scale-Up of Early Infant Male Circumcision Services for HIV Prevention in Lesotho: A Review of Facilitating Factors and Challenges

Author: Virgile Kikaya, Rajab Kakaire, Elizabeth Thompson, Mareitumetse Ramokhele, Tigistu Adamu, Kelly Curran, Emmanuel Njeuhmeli

This article in the journal Global Health: Science and Practice describes an MCHIP-supported program in Lesotho to introduce national early infant male circumcision, and related challenges around cultural acceptance, availability of health care providers, and task sharing. To read the open access article, click here.


Quality of antenatal care and household wealth as determinants of institutional delivery in Pakistan: Results of a cross-sectional household survey

Publish Date: July 2016
Author: Sohail Agha and Emma Williams

This article, published in the journal Reproductive Health, highlights the results of a household survey of 4,000 married women who had given birth in the two years before the survey was conducted in Sindh province, Pakistan. The survey collected data on socio-economic and demographic variables, the quality of antenatal care provided during a woman’s last pregnancy, and whether she delivered …


Piloting a Streamlined Index for Assessment of Quality of Labor and Delivery Care in Tanzania – Findings and Recommendations

Publish Date: June 2015
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

There is a need for streamlined observation-based tools to measure labor and delivery (L&D) care quality. Using data from the MCHIP Maternal and Newborn Quality of Care Surveys (QoC Surveys), a research study recently developed a short but comprehensive index of 20 informative indicators that can be used to measure the quality of routine L&D care by facility-based or external …


Case Study: Improving Quality of Care and Outcomes for Child Health Using the Standards-Based Management and Recognition Approach in Zimbabwe

Author: Dyness Kasungami, Savitha Subramanian

This case study aims to document the application of Standards-Based Management and Recognition (SBM-R) as a quality improvement approach to the case management of childhood illness in Zimbabwe through MCHIP. The lessons learned about the implementation process, success factors, and challenges will illumine the adoption of SBM-R to improve the quality of case management of childhood illness, where applicable, in Maternal …


Family Planning Needs during the First Two Years Postpartum in Ghana

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This analysis is based on the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey data from Ghana. It summarizes key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum. Attachment Size Ghana-PPFP.pdf 668.61 KB


Family Planning Needs during the First Two Years Postpartum in Madagascar

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This analysis is based on the 2008-09 Demographic and Health Survey data from Madagascar. It summarizes key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum. Attachment Size Madagascar-FP.pdf 667.78 KB


Family Planning Needs during the First Two Years Postpartum in Mozambique

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This analysis is based on the 2011 Demographic and Health Survey data from Mozambique. It summarizes key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum.


Family Planning Needs during the First Two Years Postpartum in Tanzania

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This analysis is based on the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey data from Tanzania. It summarizes key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum. Attachment Size Tanzania-PPFP.pdf 269.52 KB


Family Planning Needs during the First Two Years Postpartum in Burkina Faso

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This analysis is based on the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey data from Burkina Faso. It summarizes key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum. Attachment Size Burkina-PPFP.pdf 270.76 KB


Family Planning Needs during the First Two Years Postpartum in Uganda

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This analysis is based on the 2011 Demographic and Health Survey data from Uganda. It summarizes key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum. Attachment Size Uganda-PPFP.pdf 691.72 KB


Scaling Up High-Impact Health Interventions in Complex Adaptive Systems: Lessons from MCHIP

Author: Ann Larson, Robert McPherson, Jessica Posner, Anne LaFond, Jim Ricca

This report grew out of a review of the scale up of six maternal and child health interventions in India, Mali, Bangladesh and Malawi. The objective of the review was to identify effective scale-up strategies. Attachment Size Scaling-up-Synthesis-Report-100915.pdf 580.33 KB


Increasing Access to Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage Interventions for Births in Health Facilities and at Home in Four Districts of Rwanda

Author: Blami Dao, Fidele Ngabo, Jeremie Zoungrana, Barbara Rawlins, Beata Mukarugwiro, Pascal Musoni, Rachel Favero, Juliet MacDowell, Kanyamanza Eugene

This article, published in the African Journal of Reproductive Health, examines a study conducted in 60 health facilities and their catchment areas in four districts in Rwanda to assess coverage, acceptability, and feasibility of a program to prevent postpartum hemorrhage at community and facility levels.


A literature review of quantitative indicators to measure the quality of labor and delivery care

Author: Vandana Tripathi

Strengthening measurement of the quality of labor and delivery (L&D) care in low-resource countries requires an understanding of existing approaches. This literature review identifies quantitative indicators of L&D care quality and assess gaps in indicators. The authors conclude that many quantitative indicators have been used to measure L&D care quality, but few have been validated beyond expert opinion. There has …


Egypt SMART End-of-Project Report

Publish Date: August 2014
Author: MCHIP

The SMART project (October 2011 – June 2014) was a USAID-funded MCHIP project that focused on improving maternal and neonatal health and nutrition. In collaboration with the Egyptian Nursing Syndicate, the project raised the awareness of nurses on the importance of infection control, especially around newborn babies and postpartum mothers. Click here to see a minimum dataset used for the …


The Power of Counseling: Changing Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition and Family Planning Practices in Dhamar, Yemen

Publish Date: February 2016
Author: Ali Mohamed Assabri, Chelsea Cooper, Khaled Ali Al-Gendari, Anne Pfitzer, Rae Galloway

This study was conducted in two districts of Dhamar, Yemen, to inform the development of evidence-based programming to address high rates of malnutrition, short inter-pregnancy intervals, and low contraceptive prevalence in the country. The study assessed mothers’ and couples’ ability to adopt recommended nutrition and family planning practices, identifying barriers and facilitating factors for optimal practices.


Family Planning Needs During the First Two Years Postpartum

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

These seven reports — from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda — are based on Demographic and Health Survey data summarizing key findings related to birth and pregnancy spacing, fertility return, unmet need for and use of family planning, and contact with key services for women during the period from the last birth through two years postpartum.


Direct observation of respectful maternity care in five countries: a cross-sectional study of health facilities in East and Southern Africa

Publish Date: December 2015
Author: Heather E. Rosen, Pamela F. Lynam, Catherine Carr, Veronica Reis, Jim Ricca, Eva S. Bazant, Linda A. Bartlett

This article, published in BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth, analyzes select data from a series of cross-sectional surveys implemented from 2009 – 2012 by MCHIP to assess quality of care in Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The study used structured, standardized clinical observation checklists to directly observe the quality of care at facilities in the five countries. A total …


Institutionalizing early vaccination of newborns delivered at government health facilities: Experiences from India

Author: Gunjan Taneja, Vijaya Kiran Mentey, Manish Jain, Karan Singh Sagar, Bhupendra Tripathi, Micheal Favin, Robert Steinglass

Published in the International Journal of Medical Research and Review, this MCHIP co-authored article illuminates the findings from examination of a newborn vaccination program in two states in India: Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. The study—of 46 selected health facilities across 5 districts—indicated that  vaccinating newborns delivered at health facilities is easily implementable and replicable, and that its sustainability should ensure …


Facility-based active management of the third stage of labour: assessment of quality in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa

Author: Linda Bartlett, David Cantor, Pamela Lynam, Gurpreet Kaur, Barbara Rawlins, Jim Ricca, Vandana Tripathi, Heather E Rosen

The World Health Organization published an MCHIP co-authored article on “Facility-based active management of the third stage of labour: assessment of quality in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa.” The study – which examined recorded use of uterotonic medicines, controlled cord traction, and uterine massage – covered 390 facilities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania between 2009 – 2012. …


“If You Are Not Circumcised, I Cannot Say Yes”: The Role of Women in Promoting the Uptake of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision in Tanzania

Publish Date: September 2015
Author: Haika Osaki, Gerry Mshana, Mwita Wambura, Jonathan Grund, Nyasule Neke, Evodius Kuringe, Marya Plotkin, Hally Mahler, Fern Terris-Prestholt, Helen Weiss, and John Changalucha

This MCHIP co-authored article presents a detailed analysis of a qualitative study of ways women influence uptake of voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) as reported by men and women from Tabora and Njombe regions in Tanzania in 2014. The study found both male and female participants had a widely held view that women have an important role to play in …


If You Are Not Circumcised, I Cannot Say Yes: The Role of Women in Promoting the Uptake of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision in Tanzania

Author: Haika Osaki, Gerry Mshana, Mwita Wambura, Jonathan Grund, Nyasule Neke, Evodius Kuringe, Marya Plotkin, Hally Mahler, Fern Terris-Prestholt, Helen Weiss, and John Changalucha

This MCHIP co-authored article presents a detailed analysis of a qualitative study of ways women influence uptake of voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) as reported by men and women from Tabora and Njombe regions in Tanzania in 2014. The study found both male and female participants had a widely held view that women have an important role to play in …


Factors associated with early growth in Egyptian infants: implications for addressing the dual burden of malnutrition

Author: Justine A Kalve, Valerie L. Flax, Ali Abdelmegeid, Farouk Salah, Seham Hafez, Magda Ramzy, Doaa Hamed, Gulsen Saleh, Rae Galloway

The Maternal and Child Nutrition journal published an MCHIP co-authored article “Factors associated with early growth in Egyptian infants: implications for addressing the dual burden of malnutrition.” The article examines infants and young children in Egypt, who face overlapping forms of malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies, stunting and overweight. Yet, in this setting, little is known about the factors associated with …


The Effect of Integrating Family Planning with a Maternal and Newborn Health Program on Postpartum Contraceptive Use and Optimal Birth Spacing in Rural Bangladesh

Author: Saifuddin Ahmed, Salahuddin Ahmed, Catharine McKaig, Nazma Begum, Jaime Mungia, Maureen Norton and Abdullah H. Baqui

The journal Studies in Family Planning published an article highlighting work funded under MCHIP. “The Effect of Integrating Family Planning with a Maternal and Newborn Health Program on Postpartum Contraceptive Use and Optimal Birth Spacing in Rural Bangladesh” examines how integrating family planning with a community-based maternal and newborn health program might improve postpartum contraceptive use and reduce short birth …


Feasibility Study of the Implementation of Integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) in Bondo: Leveraging Existing Systems

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

The integrated community case management (iCCM) feasibility study in Bondo, Kenya, was designed to test whether Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) can deliver an iCCM package building on the existing community health strategy platform, thereby increasing coverage and quality of services at community and facility levels, and thus reducing child morbidity and mortality.


Covering the Last Kilometer: Using GIS to Scale-Up Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Services in Iringa and Njombe Regions, Tanzania

Author: Hally Mahler, Sarah Searle, Marya Plotkin, Yusuph Kulindwa, Seth Greenberg, Erick Mlanga, Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, and Gissenje Lija

The journal Global Health: Science and Practice published an MCHIP co-authored article on “Covering the Last Kilometer: Using GIS to Scale-Up Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Services in Iringa and Njombe Regions, Tanzania.” The article highlights how interactive GIS maps—created by overlapping facility data (including roads and infrastructure) with population and service delivery data—permitted strategic deployment of mobile voluntary medical male …


Global Call to Action to scale-up coverage of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy: seminar report

Author: Koki Agarwal, Pedro Alonso, R Matthew Chico, Jane Coleman, Stephanie Dellicour, Jenny Hill, Maud Majeres-Lugand, Viviana Mangiaterra, Clara Menendez, Kate Mitchell, Elaine Roman, Elisa Sicuri, Harry Tagbor, Anna-Maria van Eijk, and Jayne Webster

The seminar report – published in Malaria Journal and co-authored by MCHIP staff – recaps the November 2014 meeting that was a global Call to Action for the scale-up of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp). The Call to Action aimed to heighten awareness of the need to increase the protection of pregnant women against malaria and called on …


Global Call to Action: maximize the public health impact of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa

Author: R Matthew Chico, Stephanie Dellicour, Elaine Roman, Viviana Mangiaterra, Jane Coleman, Clara Menendez, Maud Majeres-Lugand, Jayne Webster and Jenny Hill

The Malaria Journal published an MCHIP co-authored article entitled, “Global call to action: maximize the public health impact of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa.” The article outlines priority actions that will pave the way to success in achieving national and international coverage targets. The complete list of recommended actions by stakeholder group is available here.


Piloting a Streamlined Index for Assessment of Quality of Labor and Delivery Care in Tanzania – Findings and Recommendations

Publish Date: June 2015
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

There is a need for streamlined observation-based tools to measure labor and delivery (L&D) care quality. Using data from the MCHIP Maternal and Newborn Quality of Care Surveys (QoC Surveys), a research study recently developed a short but comprehensive index of 20 informative indicators that can be used to measure the quality of routine L&D care by facility-based or external …


Identification of a Short Quality of Care Index to Measure the Quality of Facility Routine Labor and Delivery Care in Sub-Saharan Africa

Publish Date: June 2015
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

There is a need for valid, reliable, and efficient tools that comprehensively measure the quality of labor and delivery (L&D) care processes. MCHIP’s quality of care (QoC) Assessments provided a unique opportunity to apply the results of observations of L&D care in developing innovative measures of care process quality that capture important information while requiring fewer resources to implement.


Development and Validation of an Index to Measure the Quality of Facility-Based Labor and Delivery Care Processes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Publish Date: June 2015
Author: Vandana Tripathi, Cynthia Stanton, Donna Strobino, Linda Bartlett

Improving quality of care is essential to achieve the new global targets for ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths. The global community has recognized the need for better measures of the quality of maternal and newborn health services. In particular, little information is available about the content of care provided to women and newborns. Many measures focus on service availability …


Oxytocin in Uniject Disposable Auto-Disable Injection System versus Standard Use for the Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Publish Date: June 2015
Author: Andrés Pichon-Riviere, Demián Glujovsky, Osvaldo Ulises Garay, Federico Augustovski, Agustin Ciapponi, Magdalena Serpa and Fernando Althabe

Despite strong evidence showing the efficacy of routine oxytocin in preventing postpartum hemorrhage, the proportion of women receiving it after delivery is still below 100%. The Uniject injection system prefilled with oxytocin (Uniject) has the potential advantage, due to its ease of use, to increase oxytocin utilization rates. The authors aimed to assess its cost-effectiveness in Latin America and the …


Missed opportunities for family planning: an analysis of pregnancy risk and contraceptive method use among postpartum women in 21 low- and middle-income countries

Publish Date: July 2015
Author: Zhuzhi Moore, Anne Pfitzer, Rehana Gubin, Elaine Charurat, Leah Elliott and Trevor Croft

Using recent, multicountry data for women within two years postpartum in low- and middle-income countries, this article updates existing estimates of high prospective unmet need for family planning. The authors also present a new composite pregnancy risk analysis based on postpartum women’s actual practices to demonstrate the magnitude of missed opportunities for programmatic intervention for the postpartum population. The open access …


Postnatal Care for Mothers and Newborns

Publish Date: May 2015
Author: WHO, MCHIP, MCSP

This briefer shares highilghts from the World Health Organization’s 2013 global guidelines on postnatal care for mothers and newborns. Specific focus is given to the timing and content of such care, particularly in resource-limited settings in low- and middle-income countries.


MaMoni HSS brochure

Publish Date: June 2015
Author: MCHIP

Brochure on the MaMoni HSS project, an MCHIP Associate Award that aims to improve the utilization of integrated maternal, newborn and child health, family planning and nutrition (MNCH/FP/N) services to increase the availability and quality of high-impact interventions. The project supports the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Bangladesh to introduce and scale-up proven, evidence-based practices, with the ultimate aim …


Treatment of Uncomplicated Malaria among Women of Reproductive Age

Author: President’s Malaria Initiative, CDC, MCHIP, MCSP

The protocol for treating malaria in pregnant women in the first trimester differs from the rest of the adult population. With this in mind, MCSP and the President’s Malaria Initiative developed a two-page job aid to assist service providers in assessing women for pregnancy as well as correctly diagnosing and, if needed, treating them for malaria. Based on WHO guidance, …


Integrating Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition and Family Planning Services in Bondo Sub-County, Kenya

Publish Date: May 2015
Author: Angella Ogutu

MCHIP and the Kenyan Ministry of Health initiated a demonstration program integrating maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) and family planning (FP) services in six health facilities and adjacent community units in Bondo Sub-County, Siaya County, Western Kenya. The main objective of the initiative was to enhance and strengthen the linkages between nutrition and FP interventions in order to …


Helping Babies Breathe Country Case Study: Dominican Republic

Publish Date: April 2015
Author: Lloyd Jensen, Goldy Mazia, Brianna Casciello

This report examines the national scale-up of Helping Babies Breathe in the Dominican Republic.


Helping Babies Breathe Country Case Study: Colombia

Publish Date: March 2015
Author: Goldy Mazia, Clara Galvis, Brianna Casciello

This report examines the successful national scale-up of Helping Babies Breathe in Colombia by the country’s Ministry of Health and Social Protection, and the Colombian Neonatology Association.


MCHIP End-of-Project Report

Publish Date: March 2015

The Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) was the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Global Health’s flagship maternal, newborn, and child health/family planning (MNCH/FP) program from 2008–2014. Designed to bring together multiple technically specific programs in MNCH/FP under one mechanism, MCHIP had a diverse portfolio and provided technical assistance in 54 countries. MCHIP received field …


The rise in stunting in relation to avian influenza and food consumption patterns in Lower Egypt in comparison to Upper Egypt: results from 2005 and 2008 DHS

Publish Date: March 2015
Author: Justine A Kavle, Fatma El-Zanaty, Megan Landry and Rae Galloway

This open access article in BMC Public Health examines determinants of stunting between 2006 and 2008 in Egyptian children 6 – 59 months of age within the context of a 2006 avian influenza outbreak. There was mass removal of chickens in Lower Egypt as a result of the outbreak, which decreased the household supply of poultry, a key animal-source food …


Case Studies of Large-Scale Community Health Worker Programs

Publish Date: November 2014
Author: Meike Scheiff

Case studies from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.


Developing and Strengthening Community Health Worker Programs at Scale

Publish Date: November 2014
Author: Katharine Shelley

This reference guide focuses on large-scale, mostly public sector, CHW programs and how they might become as effective as possible. We provide many concrete examples of how large-scale programs have organized themselves, but more importantly, we raise issues that need to be faced by any large-scale program. With this in mind, the CHW Reference Guide is intended to be used …


Respectful Maternity Care: A Field Aspiration

Publish Date: March 2015
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

MCHIP conducted a survey in 2012 with the objective of collecting information from key stakeholders about their experiences implementing interventions to promote respectful maternity care (RMC). A convenience sample of 48 individuals from 19 countries responded to the survey about disrespectful care and abuse in maternity care, approaches for prevention, and ways to promote RMC. The survey report summarizes the …


Essential Care for Every Baby: Africa Regional Workshop

Publish Date: March 2015
Author: MCHIP, MCSP, Laerdal Foundation

The Essential Care for Every Baby (ECEB) Africa Regional Workshop (26-29 May 2014) provided an opportunity for dialogue with select countries implementing Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) at scale on the potential use of the ECEB learning materials to strengthen current newborn health programs and to develop a larger regional pool of ECEB Master Trainers and champions. Workshop objectives were to: …


Successful Proof of Concept of Family Planning and Immunization Integration in Liberia

Publish Date: March 2015
Author: Chelsea M Cooper, Rebecca Fields, Corinne I Mazzeo, Nyapu Taylor, Anne Pfitzer, Mary Momolu, Cuallau Jabbeh-Howe

The journal Global Health: Science and Practice has published an MCHIP co-authored article on “Successful Proof of Concept of Family Planning and Immunization Integration in Liberia.” Globally, unmet need for postpartum family planning (FP) remains high, while immunization services are among the most wide-reaching and equitable interventions. Given overlapping time frames, integrating these services provides an opportunity to leverage existing …


Engaging Communities With a Simple Tool to Help Increase Immunization Coverage

Publish Date: March 2015
Author: Manish Jain, Gunjan Taneja, Ruhul Amin, Robert Steinglass, Michael Favine

The journal Global Health: Science and Practice has published an MCHIP-authored article on “Engaging Communities With a Simple Tool to Help Increase Immunization Coverage.” The article describes an approach that aims to raise awareness and boost demand. The “My Village Is My Home” tool is a poster-sized material used by volunteers and health workers to record the births and vaccination …


Review of monitoring of malaria in pregnancy through national health management information systems: Results from six countries in sub-Saharan Africa

Author: William Brieger, Mary Drake, Vikas Dwivedi, Narjis Kazmi, Barbara Rawlins, Elaine Roman

MCHIP, with support from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), conducted a review of national health management information systems in a sample of six PMI focus countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim was to improve the understanding of how ministries of health are monitoring and reporting on their malaria in pregnancy-related program results and how the data …


Review of monitoring of malaria in pregnancy through national health management information systems: Mali

Author: Mame Khady BA, Elaine Roman

MCHIP, with support from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), conducted a review of national health management information systems in a sample of six PMI focus countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim was to improve the understanding of how ministries of health are monitoring and reporting on their malaria in pregnancy-related program results and how the data …


Review of monitoring of malaria in pregnancy through national health management information systems: Kenya

Author: Barbara Rawlins, Augstine Ngindu, Sanyu Kigondu

MCHIP, with support from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), conducted a review of national health management information systems in a sample of six PMI focus countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim was to improve the understanding of how ministries of health are monitoring and reporting on their malaria in pregnancy-related program results and how the data …


Review of monitoring of malaria in pregnancy through national health management information systems: Uganda

Publish Date: April 2014
Author: Mary Drake, Innocent Atukunda

MCHIP, with support from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), conducted a review of national health management information systems in a sample of six PMI focus countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim was to improve the understanding of how ministries of health are monitoring and reporting on their malaria in pregnancy-related program results and how the data …


Review of monitoring of malaria in pregnancy through national health management information systems: Mozambique

Publish Date: April 2014
Author: Mary Drake, Jim Ricca

MCHIP, with support from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), conducted a review of national health management information systems in a sample of six PMI focus countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim was to improve the understanding of how ministries of health are monitoring and reporting on their malaria in pregnancy-related program results and how the data …


Review of monitoring of malaria in pregnancy through national health management information systems: Tanzania

Publish Date: April 2014
Author: Giulia Besana, Ikupa Akim, Marya Plotkin

MCHIP, with support from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), conducted a review of national health management information systems in a sample of six PMI focus countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim was to improve the understanding of how ministries of health are monitoring and reporting on their malaria in pregnancy-related program results and how the data …


Review of monitoring of malaria in pregnancy through national health management information systems: Malawi

Publish Date: April 2014
Author: Chimwemwe Msukwa, Barbara Rawlins, Mary Drake

MCHIP, with support from the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), conducted a review of national health management information systems in a sample of six PMI focus countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania and Uganda. The aim was to improve the understanding of how ministries of health are monitoring and reporting on their malaria in pregnancy-related program results and how the data …


Factors Associated with Growth in the First Year of Life in Egyptian Children: Implications for the Double Burden of Malnutrition

Publish Date: February 2015
Author: Justine Kavle, Valerie Flax, Ali Abdelmegeid, Farouk Salah, Seham Hafez, Magda Ramzy, Doaa Hamed, Gulsen Saleh and Rae Galloway

Optimal growth in infancy and early childhood is critical to the attainment of human capital and economic development in low and middle income countries. Stunted children often become adults of small stature, with limited work productivity and reduced lifetime wage earnings. Stunting remains an important problem in Egypt, with approximately one-third of children < 5 years of age affected. A …


Uterotonic use immediately following birth: using a novel methodology to estimate population coverage in four countries

Publish Date: January 2015
Author: Jim Ricca, Vikas Dwivedi, John Varallo, Gajendra Singh, Suranjeen Prasad Pallipamula, Nazir Amade, Maria de Luz Vaz, Dustan Bishanga, Marya Plotkin, Bushra Al-Makaleh, Stephanie Suhowatsky, Jeffrey Michael Smith

While incidence of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) can be dramatically reduced by uterotonic use immediately following birth (UUIFB) in both community and facility settings, national coverage estimates are rare. To fill this information gap, a methodology for estimating national coverage for UUIFB was developed and piloted in four settings: Mozambique, Tanzania, the state of Jharkhand in India, and Yemen. This MCHIP …


Postpartum Family Planning Annotated Bibliography 2008–2014

Publish Date: November 2014
Author: MCSP, MCHIP

In an effort to promote documented best practices, MCHIP supported the development of an annotated, bibliography of postpartum family planning (PPFP) literature to serve as a reference for both researchers and program managers. This updated bibliography is an addendum to the 2011 version and mostly represents literature published in the last three years. Forty new entries are included. The literature has …


Immunisation Training Needs in Malawi

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: AY Tsega, HT Hausi, R Steinglass, GZ Chirwa

This MCHIP co-authored article, published in East African Medical Journal, reviews the current status of immunization training programs in Malawi’s health training institutions. Recommendations include updating training curricula and ensuring service providers are regularly trained. To read the abstract, click here. (Note: Access to the full article requires a subscription.)


Exploring why junk foods are ‘essential’ foods and how culturally tailored recommendations improved feeding in Egyptian children

Publish Date: December 2014
Author: Justine A. Kavle, Sohair Mehanna, Gulsen Saleh, Mervat A. Fouad, Magda Ramzy, Doaa Hamed, Mohamed Hassan, Ghada Khan, and Rae Galloway

This study utilized the trials of improved practices (TIPs) methodology to gain an understanding of the cultural beliefs and perceptions related to feeding practices of infants and young children 0–23 months of age and used this information to work in tandem with 150 mothers to implement feasible solutions to feeding problems in Lower and Upper Egypt. Study findings reveal high …


Use of Chlorhexidine for Umbilical Cord Care in Newborns Stressed

Attachment Size Medical Review – CHX event coverage.pdf 838.03 KB


Successful Practices to Increase Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Ghana

Publish Date: January 2015
Author: PMI, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Ministry of Health, MCSP, MCHIP

This brief highlights Ghana’s efforts to combat MIP from 2007–2010; specifically, its success in dramatically increasing uptake of IPTp. The brief targets policymakers, program managers and health care workers as countries work toward increasing IPTp uptake as a core component of MIP control.


MCHIP Technical Summary: Integration of Service Delivery

Publish Date: November 2014
Author: MCHIP

MCHIP and Child Survival and Health Grants Program (CSHGP) grantees have implemented and tested integration models for replication and scale-up in a range of countries. They have promoted service delivery integration at the community level using community health workers and volunteers; integration of family planning with other MNCH services, including immunization; integration of maternal, infant, and young child nutrition (MIYCN) …


Monitoring coverage of fully immunized children

Publish Date: December 2014
Author: Asnakew Tsega, Fussum Daniel, Robert Steinglass

In this MCHIP co-authored article published in the journal Vaccine, the authors designed and distributed a mini-survey to assess the status of monitoring coverage of fully immunized children (FIC) in 19 Eastern and Southern African countries. To read the article abstract, click here. (Note: Access to the full article requires a subscription.)


Factors limiting immunization coverage in urban Dili, Timor-Leste

Author: Ruhul Amin, Telma Joana Corte Real De Oliveira, Mateus Da Cunha, Tanya Wells Brown, Michael Favin, Kelli Cappelier

November 2013 Ruhul Amin, Telma Joana Corte Real De Oliveira, Mateus Da Cunha, Tanya Wells Brown, Michael Favin, Kelli Cappelier


Guidelines for Estimating National Coverage of Interventions for Maternal and Newborn Health

Publish Date: April 2014
Author: MCHIP

MCHIP developed a rapid estimation methodology that attempts to address the lack of national coverage data for key maternal and newborn health (MNH) interventions. The methodology has been tailored to measure the following interventions: Use of uterotonic (oxytocin or misoprostol) for PPH; Use of magnesium sulfate for SPE/E; Application of chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care; and Administration of antenatal corticosteroids …


A Review of the Maternal and Newborn Health Content of National Health Management Information Systems in 13 Countries in Sub- Saharan Africa and South Asia

Publish Date: November 2014
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

To understand the current status of national health management information system (HMIS) capacity to capture indicators of the content and quality of antenatal care and labor and delivery services in priority USAID countries where MCHIP works, and to gauge the scale of work yet to be done to improve the utility of health management information systems, MCHIP conducted a desk …


Findings from the use of a narrative story and leaflet to influence shifts along the behavior change continuum toward postpartum contraceptive uptake in Sylhet District, Bangladesh

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: Chelsea Cooper, Salahuddin Ahmed, Peter Winch, Anne Pfitzer, Catharine McKaig, Abdullah Baqui

The journal Patient Education and Counseling published the MCHIP co-authored article, “Findings from the use of a narrative story and leaflet to influence shifts along the behavior change continuum toward postpartum contraceptive uptake in Sylhet District, Bangladesh.” The article describes a study in Sylhet District, Bangladesh, that explored knowledge and perceptions about postpartum return to fecundity and used the Steps to …


Lessons Learned from the Scale-Up Experience of Six High-Impact Interventions in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health

Publish Date: June 2014
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

One of MCHIP’s cross-cutting themes was to support governments to bring high-impact health interventions to scale. This review draws on 18 case studies involving MCHIP support to scale up six health interventions. The research team conducted desk reviews for each case study based on project documents and published and gray literature, supplemented by in-country teams’ self-assessments of progress in institutionalizing …


A cross-sectional study describing motivations and barriers to voluntary medical male circumcision in Lesotho

Publish Date: October 2014
Author: Laura Skolnik, Sharon Tsui, Tigistu Adamu Ashengo, Virgile Kikaya, Mainza Lukobo-Durrell

This MCHIP co-authored article analyzes the motivations of men aged 18 and older who sought voluntary medical male circumcision services during a national launch by Lesotho’s Ministry of Health. To download the open access article from BioMed Central, click here.


Lesotho Nursing and Midwifery Primary Health Care Clinical Placement Final Report

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: MCHIP and USAID

MCHIP initiated a nursing pre-service education (PSE) program in Lesotho in May 2010 to improve the quality of nurse- and midwife-delivered care. The program included support to the development of primary health care (PHC) clinical placements for trained nursing assistants and general nursing and midwifery students. To expand on its anecdotal program evaluation, MCHIP conducted operational research on PHC clinical …


Advance Distribution of Misoprostol for Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage in South Sudan

Publish Date: November 2014
Author: Jeffrey Smith, Alexander Dimiti, Vikas Dwivedi, Isabella Ochieng, Maryrose Dalaka, Sheena Currie, Edward Eremugo Luka, John Rumunu, Solomon Orero, Jaime Mungia, and Catharine McKaig

This MCHIP co-authored article in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics describes the results of a study to evaluate whether a facility- and community-focused postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) prevention program in one county in South Sudan achieved high uterotonic coverage of all births. Under this program, PPH prevention and management were strengthened at health facilities, and advance distribution of misoprostol …


Assessing the Socioeconomic Profile of the Beneficiaries of an Intervention: A Step-by-Step Guide

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: MCHIP, MCSP

This document describes a simple and low-cost method for assessing the socioeconomic profile of the beneficiaries of an intervention, and to determine whether the intervention is pro-poor. The note provides details on each step of the analysis.


Determinants and pattern of care seeking for preterm newborns in a rural Bangladeshi cohort

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: Rashed Shah, Luke C Mullany, Gary L Darmstadt, Radwanur Rahman, Syed Moshfiqur Rahman, Ishtiaq Mannan, Shams El Arifeen, Abdullah H Baqui

This MCHIP co-authored article—published in the journal BioMed Central—examines the reasons behind the lack of care seeking data for preterm births and related complications in rural Bangladesh. The open access article can be found here.


South-to-South Technical Assistance Strengthening Midwifery Education Peru to Paraguay

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: MCHIP

MCHIP program learning brief on collaboration with the Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing of Universidad de San Martin de Porres in Lima, Peru, to provide south-to-south technical assistance among midwifery schools, including the Instituto Andrés Barbero.


Strengthening Midwifery Education in Small Caribbean Countries through a Regional Platform

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: MCHIP

MCHIP program learning brief on developing the Caribbean Regional Midwives Association (CRMA).


Feasibility and validity of telephone triage for adverse events during a voluntary medical male circumcision campaign in Swaziland

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: Tigistu Adamu Ashengo, JonathanGrund, Masitsela Mhlanga, Thabo Hlophe, Munamato Mirira, Naomi Bock, Emmanuel Njeuhmeli, Kelly Curran, Elizabeth Mallas, Laura Fitzgerald, Rhoy Shoshore, Khumbulani Moyo and George Bicego

BMC Public Health published an MCHIP co-authored article entitled “Feasibility and validity of telephone triage for adverse events during a voluntary medical male circumcision campaign in Swaziland.” The article describes a retrospective study that analyzed a dataset of telephone calls logged by the voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) hotline during a VMMC campaign. The objectives were to determine reasons clients …


Quality Improvement in Mozambique’s Model Maternities: Linking improvement in standards with health outcomes and impacts

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: MCHIP

Background on the establishment and expansion of the Model Maternities Initiative in Mozambique.


Bottlenecks and Breakthroughs: Lessons Learned from New Vaccine Introductions in Low-resource Countries, 2008 to 2013

Author: MCHIP, MCSP

From 2008 to 2013, the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), provided in-depth technical assistance on the operational aspects of the introduction of 15 new vaccines in 10 GAVI-eligible countries; this represented 14% of all GAVI-supported introductions during this time period of vaccines used in routine immunization. The lessons …


Increasing the Use of Dexamethasone in the Management of Preterm Birth in Cambodia

Publish Date: September 2014
Author: MCHIP, Human Development Research Cambodia

Cambodia’s Ministry of Health has identified prematurity as a priority issue to reduce newborn mortality and improve newborn health. This briefer highlights the recommendation of antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) administration for women with preterm labor, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes and for women who are preterm and experience obstetrical complications which could necessitate delivery, such as severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia or antepartum hemorrhage.