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In Mali Tdh supports 33 health centers
Since 2012, Terre des hommes (Tdh)has provided technical, material and financial support to 33 community health centers (CHCs) in the Markala and Macina districts in the Segou region of Mali. The Foundation contributes to improving the health of nearly 70,000 children through the approach of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) and accompanies nearly 11,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women during pregnancy and during the first months of their children’s lives.
IMCI is an initiative by WHO andUNICEF, dating back twenty years and aimed at reducing child mortality and morbidity in developing countries. Its implementation involves both strengthening family and community practices (simple and preventive measures mothers can apply at home) and strengthening health systems. The strengthening of CHCs has three main components including staff training, provision of some care and supply of equipment and materials.
Staff training In the districts of Macina and Markala, Tdh has trained 47 providers in CHCs (doctors and nurses) on the national IMCI protocol for 15 days between July and September. These training sessions began with a theoretical phase followed by a practice phase in the pediatric wards of the Hospital of Segou. The training focused on the IMCI approach, including the assessment of sick children, their treatment and completing various forms during and after medical consultation. They will be complemented by a series "post-training" follow-up sessions conducted by trainers in all 33 CHCs. These weekly visits will provide technical support to apprentices and doctors and nurses will assess the level of implementation of the training.
Free care Tdh helps provide free health care services. This includes consultation tickets for children under five years of age and treatment of the three most common childhood diseases, namely malaria, acute respiratory illness and diarrhea, with drugs recommended by the IMCI program.
From June2014 (beginning of the voucher program) tothe end of September, 53'271 children received free care. This service is made possible with funding from ECHO, the main donor of Tdh in this project.
Material Support 33 CHCs have received medical equipment for the proper care of children, including stopwatches, thermometers and scales.
See also:"Mali: a health center becomes operational"
Terre des hommes makes positive changes in the lives of more than two million children and family members each year. Learn more about our projects in Mali.
