Health[e]Foundation and Nuru Ethiopia are working together to use digital solutions to improve healthcare access for mothers and children in Ethiopia. The project, supported by the Fund for Innovation in Development (FID), will use an e-learning module and the LUCY app to enhance the knowledge of community-based Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and (pregnant) women on maternal and child health.
To improve access to health services, the Ethiopian government launched the Health Extension Program in 2003. This program relies on community-based HEWs to provide key health information to the population of Ethiopia. This year, in support of the vision of the government, Nuru Ethiopia and Health[e]Foundation conducted a feasibility study to develop a needs-based community-driven project that will focus on improving the knowledge of both the HEWs and (pregnant) women on the topics of maternal health, nutrition, and breastfeeding practices.
In May 2023, a delegation of representatives from Nuru Ethiopia and Health[e]Foundation conducted a joint field visit to southern Ethiopia where the project will be implemented. The visit was part of FID’s Stage 0 – Prepare Grant. The delegation spent three days together conducting an initial needs and feasibility assessment, visiting health centers and health posts that form the important community-based level of the Ethiopian Health system. Experiences were exchanged with care group leaders, HEWs, HEW supervisors, as well as pregnant women and mothers of newborns. Valuable insights were gained to understand the key success factors and challenges of the Ethiopian Health system at the community level. Input was collected on maternal and child health; digital literacy; and the digitalization process of the Ethiopian Health system – information that will be vital for the development and optimization of the online module and digital application for further deployment in the country.. Health[e]Foundation looks forward to continuing its work with Nuru Ethiopia and with the communities in southern Ethiopia!
For more information about our collaboration with FID and Nuru Ethiopia, please see: Distance learning to improve maternal and child health in Ethiopia
