Progressive Health Partnership in Uganda

We at PHP hope you have all been having a great summer! Two years ago, we started the ONP in Kashongi and Kitura health centers in southwestern Uganda to create sustainable change in maternal and neonatal health practices in rural villages. One of the metrics we have been looking at is the number of deliveries at health centers. In the rural setting, delivering at a health center with trained midwives is crucial in ensuring a safe environment for birth. In the year before we started the ONP, there was an average of 19.2 deliveries per month at the Kashongi health center. This year from January to April, we saw that average rise up to 34.3 deliveries per month. We also see a similar trend in Kitura. From January 2013 to April 2013, we saw an average of 16.0 deliveries per month; one year later, this average is now 26.8 deliveries per month! We are very pleased to see that even one and a half years after the beginning of the ONP, we are still seeing more and more pregnant women choosing to deliver at the health center.

Secondly, we wanted to update you on a project we have been working on this summer. During June and July 2014, we carried out focus groups and surveys to assess the potential of implementing a pregnancy testing initiative in Kashongi and Kitura. This study was motivated by the premise that pregnancy testing may be a particularly promising intervention due to both its low cost and its ability to provide women more certainty about their pregnancy status. From what we have seen, reception towards the expansion of home-based pregnancy testing was extremely positive. We look forward to updating you on the progress of this project!