Global Health , Improve Health Outcomes

Your Name

Instructor Name

Course Number

Date

Title: Global Health, Improve Health Outcomes

The wellbeing and health of women, children, and newborns are linked inherently. When mothers are malnourished or receive inadequate care, their newborns will be at more risk of premature death. In low and middle-income countries, the death of the mother during child delivery significantly increases the risk of child mortality. Improved health requires that both women and children can access quality health care services. One of the main causes of mortality in young girls is pregnancy and childbirth complications. In many of the low and middle-income countries, especially India, early marriages are very common.

In 2010, in India, almost 12.2 million women aged between 21- 24 years gave birth before 18 years of age. Poor reproductive and sexual health outcomes pose a major global health disease burden for women aged 16-45 years. Although maternal death per 100,000 live births decreased in the last few decades, it is not enough to reach the sustainable development goal target. It is reported that almost 290,000 women died from pregnancy-related complications last year in low and middle-income countries.

Health promotion intervention has been recognized widely as a process of enabling communities and individuals to improve their health status. It is found in different studies that malnutrition is a major cause of death among women and children. Community health care programs can play a very important role in improving the health outcomes of people. In these community intervention programs, the main aim is to train the community health care workers to achieve child survival and maternal health goals. The community-based intervention program will encompass healthcare-seeking behavior among families and communities. Community-based programs are a very important component in providing a continuum of care to communities with low resources.

Intervention # 1: Counselling by Health Care Providers

Community health care workers will be trained to improve their counseling and communication skills to respond effectively to the needs of women. Community members will counsel pregnant women about maternal and newborn health care. Home visits will be done in the pre and postnatal period to counsel mothers, to provide newborn care and detect the complication associated with pregnancy. The home visit will reduce infant mortality to a great extent. The community health care workers will provide counseling to women regarding breastfeeding and child care.

Intervention # 2 Psychosocial Support

Education will be provided regarding preventive treatment for malaria. Psychosocial services will also be provided to improve the mental health of women.

Intervention # 3 Provision of Folic Acid Tablet

Folic acid will be freely provided to women. Folic acid counseling and education will be provided twice a month. Folic acid use will also be monitored. Women will be provided with education about the benefits of the use of folic acid.

Intervention # 4 Counselling regarding Family Planning

Another intervention that will be used is the provision of family planning and contraceptive services. These interventions will be implemented with the main aim to enhance the use of child and maternal health services by the women during childbirth, pregnancy, postpartum delivery, and by children up aged up to 5 years.

Conclusion

This is a funded community-based intervention program to improve women's health and to reduce the complications associated with the pregnancy in villages in India. Planning will be done at the end of December’2019 and will be implemented throughout 2020. This program will be based on the funding provided by the government. In the planning phase, local community groups and leaders of the village will be allowed to participate. The major part of the total funding will be provided for the training of community health care workers, counseling, and the provision of folic acid tablets. During the planning phase, members of the local community will be involved to determine the different barriers in accessing MNH services.