The Early Infant Diagnosis Treatment and Care (EIDTC) programme supported programming in maternal, new-born and child health, immunization, family planning and reproductive health, nutrition, health systems strengthening, water/sanitation/hygiene, prevention of mother-to-child transmission(PMTCT) of HIV, and pediatric HIV care and treatment. Access of mothers and children to medical services and health care during the first 1000 days of life became an important area for SPF to focus on to develop a systematic care and support strategy that responds to the needs of children under 3 years to ensure their survival and development. The project created systems that addressed and prevented child mortality.

Objective:

The programme strengthened HIV/AIDS care in the Nyandeni Municipal area for 3 of the 13 Clinics:

• Improved community responsiveness to Maternal and Child Health (MCH) and PMTCT through Community  Score Cards (CSC) workshops in all three clinic catchment  areas.
• Improved clinic responsiveness to MCH and PMTCT through developing Balanced Score Cards (BSC) which identifed and addressed service quality improvements in paediatric and maternal care.
• Trained Clinic Committees on their roles and responsibilities and induction to Clinic Committee Policy, to strengthen clinic committee accountability to communities.
• Involved men and male partners in the PMTCT process to support their partners and children and offer HIV counselling and testing (HCT).
• Defaulter tracing (SMS Life-line) communication between Community Health Workers (CHWs), clinics and PMTCT/ART clients to support defaulter tracing, improved EIDTC and ensured adherence to PMTCT and ART regimes.
• Supported mobile outreach teams (Department of Health Ward based outreach programme).
• Capacity building of 30 Community Health Workers through the Skills to Care (Perinatal Education Trust) Modules as a training method.
• Systematic replication of the programme model into the DOH beyond the 3 clinics.
• Focussed home visits by CHW’s on a daily basis to assigned pregnant women and mothers and babies.

Mentor Mom Programme:

Since October 2017 the mentor mom programme has gained momentum, in grouping new moms and pregnant women to attend antenatal and post-natal education sessions conducted by Community Health Workers at village level. Small Projects Foundation champions mentor mother programme to increase the number of pregnant women and new moms to attend antenatal and postnatal sessions that are provided by Community Health Workers at a village level. A number of sessions are covered from this programme, and expert moms are then identified during these sessions to become expert mentor moms, and to run wellness clubs with fellow villagers for the continuation of the programme forward.

These sessions has been very motivational and interesting for new moms and pregnant women as they provide an incentive for those that attend these session in a form of a tray of eggs, to boost their nutrition and improve health and prevent and address nutritional stunting among infants and young children. This programme empowering pregnant women early in gestation through antenatal classes (ANC) and post-natal clases (PNC) and continued support up to 24 months after delivery.

Small Projects Foundation has extended its MOU with the Department of Health, to provide multi-vitamin to pregnant women and new moms, through the partnership with Vitamin Angels. Pregnant women have an increased need for vitamins and minerals throughout pregnancy. Providing supplemental nutrition in the form of a daily multi-vitamin is an excellent way to meet this increased need by ensuring adequate nutrition and improve the pregnancy outcome. The dispensary platform of the multivitamin supplements will be through the mentor mom village based classes that are held every month in the village where this programme takes place.

Results:

Small Projects Foundation presented the results on the Skills to Care and Mentor Mom Support Group Programme at the South African National Best Practices workshop in Pretoria, on the 16th May 2018. This was well received with much interest shown by the National Department of Health and international Non –Governmental Organisations. The selection of SPF to present this model as best practice is a great honour for the organisation and the project.

Acknowledgements:

Small Projects Foundation, welcomes the continued support and funding of this wonderful programme by One to One Children’s Fund and Positive Action for Children’s Fund (PACF) in the Ngqeleni cluster clinics under the Nyandeni Sub-District and the OR Tambo District. Our grateful thanks for wonderful support, funding and encouragement. Without your funding and support this programme would not have been possible.

We acknowledge the Eastern Cape Department of Health, Nyandeni Sub-district, Health Staff, clinic staff, community health workers, and other partners for their hard work, support, inspiration and commitment.