Executive Summary
Maternal and child mortality remain major public health challenges in low-resource settings, particularly in rural and fragile regions. Limited access to skilled birth attendants, weak referral systems, poor nutrition, preventable infections, and inadequate antenatal/postnatal care contribute to preventable deaths.
This proposal introduces innovative, low-cost, and scalable interventions to strengthen maternal and child health (MCH) services through digital tools, community health worker (CHW) empowerment, mobile outreach, and integrated nutrition and immunization support.
Problem Statement
Low-resource settings face:
- High maternal mortality rates
- Preventable neonatal and under-five deaths
- Limited access to emergency obstetric care
- Poor antenatal and postnatal coverage
- Malnutrition and anemia among pregnant women
- Weak referral and follow-up systems
Delays in care-seeking, transportation barriers, and limited trained personnel worsen outcomes.
Project Goal
To reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality by strengthening community-based service delivery and integrating innovative health solutions.
Objectives
- Increase antenatal care coverage by 30%.
- Improve skilled birth attendance rates.
- Strengthen early childhood immunization tracking.
- Reduce preventable neonatal complications.
- Improve maternal nutrition and anemia screening.
Target Beneficiaries
- Pregnant and lactating women
- Newborns and children under five
- Community health workers
- Primary health facilities
- Rural and marginalized communities
Project Components
- Component 1: Digital Maternal Tracking System
- Mobile-based pregnancy registration
- Automated ANC visit reminders (SMS/voice)
- High-risk pregnancy alerts
- Digital immunization tracking
- Component 2: Community Health Worker Empowerment
- Training in maternal and neonatal danger signs
- Use of digital health tools
- Home visit protocols
- Referral coordination
- Component 3: Mobile Health Outreach Clinics
- Periodic outreach in remote areas
- Antenatal and postnatal check-ups
- Basic diagnostic screening
- Vaccination services
- Component 4: Maternal Nutrition & Anemia Reduction
- Iron and folic acid supplementation tracking
- Nutrition counseling sessions
- Growth monitoring for infants
- Community nutrition demonstrations
- Component 5: Emergency Referral Strengthening
- Community transport mapping
- Referral coordination protocols
- Facility readiness assessments
- Emergency communication systems
Implementation Timeline
Phase 1 Baseline & System Design Month X–X
Phase 2 Training & Tool Deployment Month X–X
Phase 3 Outreach & Service Delivery Month X–X
Phase 4 Evaluation & Scale Strategy Month X–X
Expected Outcomes
- Increased ANC and PNC attendance
- Improved immunization coverage
- Reduced maternal complications
- Improved birth preparedness
- Enhanced referral efficiency
Short Budget Table (18-Month Pilot)
Digital Health System Development $XXXXX
CHW Training & Capacity Building $XXXXX
Mobile Outreach Clinics $XXXXX
Nutrition & Supplement Support $XXXXX
Monitoring & Evaluation $XXXXX
Administrative & Project Management $XXXXX
Total Estimated Budget $XXXXXX
Risk Mitigation
- Strengthen facility partnerships
- Ensure supply chain reliability
- Provide culturally sensitive services
- Safeguard data privacy
- Continuous supervision and mentorship
Sustainability Strategy
- Integration with national health systems
- Government co-financing pathways
- Capacity building of local health staff
- Community health committees engagement
- Digital system institutionalization
Alignment with Global Frameworks
- SDG 3 (Good Health & Well-being)
- Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
- Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health
- Primary Health Care strengthening frameworks
Conclusion
Innovative, community-centered approaches are essential to reduce maternal and child mortality in low-resource settings. By combining digital tracking, frontline workforce empowerment, outreach services, and nutrition support, this project strengthens health system resilience and improves outcomes for mothers and children.
This scalable model offers a practical pathway toward equitable and sustainable maternal and child health improvements.
