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.

Drs. Kahabi and MwendaCapacityPlus, 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:

  • 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.

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