Transaid has begun working with JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) and Manoff Group on a USAID funded project to help improve access to essential health care in some of the poorest and most remote communities to the north and west of the island. Transaid will look at emergency transport for pregnant women and children, drug supply chain and the mobilisation of community health workers.
The project focuses on improving essential services and health products for pregnant women, newborn babies and children; family planning and reproductive health; malaria prevention and control; water supply and sanitation; and nutrition. Transaid’s role will be to assess what transport currently exists and to look at ways in which it can be improved and managed sustainably.
Transaid will focus on the mobilization of community health workers who play a vital role on the ground. We will also look at emergency transport for pregnant women and children under five. In addition, Transaid will focus on strengthening the supply chain of essential medicines and health products to ensure community health workers have sufficient stock to treat patients effectively.
In Madagascar, over 60% of people are located more than 5km from the nearest health facility and 80% of the population lives in difficult to access rural locations. Some communities can be cut off for up to 10 months of the year and are only accessible by river. Barriers to accessing health care include finances and geographical location and as a result child and maternal mortality is extremely high.
The project will improve the delivery and access to health care in these rural areas, particularly for women and young children and aims to reach around 4 million people in the next five years
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