Improving Maternal and Child Health in Madagascar

In southeast of Anosy region in Madagascar, preventable childhood diseases such as diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections contribute to the region’s high levels of neonatal, infant and under 5 mortality. In addition, misinformation and low levels of education among mothers further contribute to poor maternal and child health outcomes. Through project votsira (which means wellbeing of a new mother and her child) SEED has and continues to deliver health education sessions to caregivers and building capacity of healthcare workers in order to improve maternal and child health knowledge, attitudes and practices. Project votsira has been implemented through 3 phases, and SEED is currently implementing the 4^th phase (June 2022 to May 2024).

Year 1 of votsira phase 4, was a great success with a total of 528 education sessions delivered to 1320 caregivers, and 2631 household visits to give opportunity to mothers to ask more specific and personal questions. Focus groups and roundtable discussions at the end of year 1 of phase 4, provided valuable insights into areas requiring more focus in year 2. Year 2 curriculum includes sessions on; antenatal visits and hospital delivery, acute respiratory infections and vaccinations, breastfeeding, colostrum, nutrition, malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, family planning, syphilis and HIV.

By June 2023 a total of 940 caregivers were recruited to participate in the 2^nd round of mother and child health course in votsira phase 4. As of July 2023, a total of 88 sessions on antenatal care and nutrition were already covered. The remaining sessions will be rolled out in the course of year 2 of implementation of the project.

One beneficiary caregiver, testifies that she now knows more through the education sessions and her life and that of her grandchildren is changed. SEED’s work through project VOTSIRA is testimony to the great support received through generous donors abroad and from local Malagasy people.