Why is this paper important?
During 2016, 3MDG will make available $26.5 million to support the delivery of an essential package of maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services for a population of 4.5 million people - representing coverage of almost 10% of the population of Myanmar.
Results from 2015, alongside lessons drawn from the work of the Fund since its beginning, demonstrate that ongoing efforts to support the scale-up of a package of essential MNCH services across poor as well as conflict-affected areas of the county (including areas within Ayeyarwady, Magway, Shan, Chin and Kayah as well as Wa and Special Region 4) can be effective. They show that the approach and the focus on a continuum of care can lead to improved health outcomes. These investments in maternal, newborn and child health are leading to significant health gains for Myanmar and at a cost that represents good value for money when benchmarked internationally.
Whilst overall 3MDG support for populations in Chin, Shan, Kayah, Wa and Special Region 4 currently benefiting from services will draw to a close at the end of 2017, 3MDG support for six townships in Ayeyarwady and five townships in Magway ends midway through 2017.
This paper, called '3MDG Support to MNCH Service Delivery – A Strategy for Transition and to Address Sustainability for work being currently financed in Delta and Magway,' is important because it considers how gains achieved over the last few years within townships in Delta and Magway, with the support of 3MDG, can be sustained beyond the lifetime of the 3MDG. The paper looks beyond the work of only 3MDG and to how wider efforts and joined-up partnership are needed to sustain these gains for the medium and longer-term.
What is this paper about?
The paper outlines a strategy for how maternal, newborn and child health work in the Delta and Magway, which is currently being supported by 3MDG, could be sustained beyond the lifetime of the 3MDG Fund – through joint efforts to support scaled-up, quality MNCH provision by the Ministry of Health and Sports.
Three important areas of health care focus, to date receiving support from the 3MDG, are categorized as:
- Facility based services and outreach - this area of work is already prioritized by the government and includes operational support through government budgeting
- Community based health care provision - this details the use of volunteers to provide particular services at a community level. The role of the volunteer cadre is well outlined by the Ministry of Health and Sports, but further efforts are required to institutionalize monitoring, supervision, reporting and provision of adequate supplies for service delivery. Please find more on community based healthcare here and here.
- Support for emergency referrals – as this is a potentially life-saving intervention, especially for pregnant women and children under 5, and 3MDG is highly supportive of the institutionalization of this intervention. Please find more information on emergency referrals here.
This paper discusses how these three core areas, together constituting a continuum of MNCH care, could be integrated in Myanmar’s approach to achieving universal health coverage (UHC).
The paper identifies a set of decisions needed, leading to time-bound actions, if the Ministry of Health and Sports is to be able to support all the three MNCH core areas for the medium-term and beyond.
The paper considers how the Ministry of Health and Sports, the World Bank, 3MDG and other development partners working together can address challenges, including institutional capacity to deliver services, which need to be met if high-quality MNCH services delivered by the public sector are able to meet peoples’ needs for health services.
What are the next steps?
In August 2016, the Ministry of Health and Sports will convene a Working Group including 3MDG and the World Bank to jointly consider this strategy for sustainable healthcare provision across the country. The Group will consider the steps outlined in this paper, alongside challenges and risks highlighted. Progress towards delivery of actions outlined in the strategy will be reviewed at a meeting of the 3MDG Fund Board in late August 2016.
Access this article: 3MDG Support to MNCH Service Delivery – A Strategy for Transition and to Address Sustainability for work being currently financed in Delta and Magway
