Maternal and Child Health Intergrated Program (MCHIP)

Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate continues to be at an unacceptably high level. While maternal mortality figures vary widely by source and are highly controversial, the best estimates for Nigeria suggest that approximately 54,000 women die each year due to pregnancy-related complications. Additionally, another 1,080,000 to 1,620,000 Nigerian women will suffer annually from disabilities as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

While the number of health care facilities are increasing in the country, poor services, lack of demand, and a lack of accessibility characterize the health sector. As a result, maternal health and family planning services remain limited throughout much of Nigeria, especially in the northern states.



Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) Strategy:

USAID’s MCHIP Program, being implemented by Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics Corporation is a follow-on to the Access to Clinical and Community Maternal, Neo-natal and Women’s Health Services (ACCESS) program. MCHIP builds on the successes achieved and lessons learned under the ACCESS project by providing support to the Government of Nigeria to expand and improve maternal, new born, and child health services. Specifically, MCHIP focuses on increasing utilization of quality Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) and family planning services within the context of integrated reproductive health services. The ACCESS program originally began in four local government areas (LGAs) but expanded to a total of 22 LGAs in Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara States. MCHIP continues in these states.

MCHIP creates and promotes best practices for EmONC at state level, provided EmONC trained health care workers, and improves quality of EmONC services in selected LGAs. The project also offers contraceptives that increase demand for maternal and newborn services, including family planning; and improves management of maternal and newborn services in selected LGAs. To accomplish these results and improve maternal and child health, MCHIP works at both the facility level and among communities. Central to MCHIP's work is the Household-to-Hospital Continuum of Care approach that systematically addresses maternal and newborn issues at homes and in hospitals.

This approach addresses the three impediments that often cause maternal and newborn deaths, delay in recognizing complications, delay in reaching a medical facility, and delay in receiving good quality care at the facility. By improving quality of care at homes and in health facilities; empowering communities to increase the use of maternal and newborn care services, as well as the quality of care at community level, MCHIP addresses the root causes of maternal and newborn deaths in Nigeria.


Program Snapshot
· Project Name: Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP)
· Partner: Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics Corporation
· Annual Budget: $5,050,000
· Life of Activity: 2009 - 2013
· Geographic Focus: Kano, Katsina and Zamfara States

http://nigeria.usaid.gov/programs/health-population-and-nutrition/projects/maternal-and-child-health-intergrated-program-mchi