Partnerships for Strengthening Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (ACOSME)

The ACOSME project aims to promote the offering of better care for mothers and pregnant women by optimizing the structures at each level of territorial administration. It strives to increase the use of health services by the targeted groups by generating greater accessibility and cultural acceptance. The initiative creates more productive infrastructure through renovations and the delivery of new quality equipment. The objective is to provide durable, quality care for mothers and children.

Reinforcement, Improvement, Acceptability

Consistent with Haiti’s national priorities (Master Health Plan 2012–2022 and National Reproductive Health and Family Planning Strategy 2013–2016), the project aims to achieve 3 complimentary objectives:

• It aims to strengthen the structures’ capacity to provide quality health care for women, newborns and children, including obstetrical emergencies and family planning, through supervision and training.
• It seeks to improve the health care facilities by providing necessary equipment and completing renovations.
• It intends to increase acceptability and use of health services by fostering a better understanding of their benefits for women, men and children among the population and health agents.

Integrating Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) Services at the Community Level 

The integration of MNCH services at the community level is increasingly recognized as a best practice to improve the health of mothers and children. It makes the most of each consultation opportunity in order to ensure the continued delivery of services, including for obstetrical emergencies. This strategy is anchored in the orderly intervention of service providers and managers from the health sector, the communities and the social sector. This project favours a supportive approach (as opposed to one of substitution), which entails a strong implication from key actors at the regional and local levels in order to achieve the desired outcomes and to ensure the durability of all achievements.

Gender Equality and Human Rights: Key Factors in Improving MNCH

In order for services to be actually used by women and children, sustained efforts around issues of gender equality and rights to health must be conducted with men, women, communities and their leaders. It is now well recognized that the issue of maternal, neonatal and child health is not just one of health care, but of social justice and human rights as well. Consequently, the project integrates strategies and activities to this effect, in Haiti as well as with the Canadian public and scholars.

See the information leaflet (in French)