ACCESS is participating in USAID''s Safe Birth Africa Initiative in Rwanda to demonstrate large-scale sustainable results in increasing the accessibility and utilization of safe delivery services. The initiative, which began in November 2006, aims to increase the access to skilled birth attendants and reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity in four districts, and nationally.

ACCESS/Rwanda is improving standards of performance in Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) and implementing Kangaroo Mother Care to improve care for low birth weight babies. In addition, ACCESS is involving faith-based organizations in advocacy activities with the community for fostering behavior change targeting providers and women delivering at health facilities.

At the end of the project, ACCESS expects to have achieved significant improvement in skilled birth attendance and postpartum newborn care and coverage, as well as increased use of immediate newborn care, improved quality of service delivery in EmONC, and increased demand for maternal and newborn services.

About ACCESS:

The ACCESS Program is the U.S. Agency for International Development''s global program to improve maternal and newborn health. The ACCESS Program works to expand coverage, access and use of key maternal and newborn health services across a continuum of care from the household to the hospital—with the aim of making quality health services accessible for women and newborns. Jhpiego implements the program in partnership with Save the Children, Constella Futures, the Academy for Educational Development, the American College of Nurse-Midwives and Interchurch Medical Assistance.