ÿþ<html> <head> <title>ACCESS Update | January 2009</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=unicode"> </head> <body margin="0" padding="0"> <table cellpadding="0" width="660" border="0" bordercolor="#003366" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td> <table cellpadding="0" width="660" border="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td id="header1left" width="304" style="margin: 0px; padding: 2px 8px 8px 8px;"><img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/logos/logousaid.gif" width="238" height="71" alt="USAID logo" /></td> <td id="header1right" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/logos/logoaccessalt.gif" alt="ACCESS Program logo (Access to clinical and community maternal, neonatal and women's health services)" width="229" height="80" align="right" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td id="header2" bgcolor="#CC6600" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: left; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 8px 6px 9px;" valign="top" width="304"> ACCESS Update</td> <td id="header2" bgcolor="#CC6600" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: right; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 9px 6px 8px;" valign="top"> January 2009</td> </tr> </table> <table cellpadding="0" width="660" border="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td id="leftcol" bgcolor="#f9d9b9" width="165" valign="top" rowspan="6" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: left; font-size: 11px; color: #000000; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_inthisissue.gif" border="0" width="105" height="23" alt="In This Issue" /><br /> &nbsp;<br /> <font color="#000000">Clinical Specialist's letter</font><br />&nbsp;<br /> <font color="#000000">ACCESS efforts in Rwanda gain presidential attention</font><br /> &nbsp;<br /> <font color="#000000">Country spotlight: Malawi</font><br />&nbsp;<br /> <font color="#000000">Tools and resources</font><br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br /> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_clspcletter.gif" border="0" width="160" height="37" alt="Clinical Specialist's Letter" /><br /> &nbsp;<br /> <b>Dear Friends:</b><br />&nbsp;<br /> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_pgomez.jpg" border="0" hspace="5" width="77" height="108" align="right" alt="Ms. Patricia Gomez" />Antenatal care (ANC) is a key opportunity to reach pregnant women with a broad range of health services. Because 70% of women seek ANC services at least once during pregnancy, the ACCESS Program capitalizes on this chance to integrate services into a newer approach called focused ANC.<br />&nbsp;<br /> By promoting the use of at least four visits spaced at specific intervals to deliver basic care, ACCESS has made gains in the number of women reached by these life-saving interventions. And because the emphasis of focused ANC is on the quality of care over the quantity of visits, the individual needs of women and the delivery of high-quality care take priority.<br />&nbsp;<br /> The integration of services--including the prevention and treatment of anemia; prevention, detection and treatment of malaria, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections and HIV; and tetanus toxoid immunization--into ANC is critically important to the health and well-being of clients.<br />&nbsp;<br /> However, as we become increasingly aware of the need to integrate services and have no missed opportunities to deliver vital care and counseling, we must also acknowledge the challenge in ensuring that the quality of care does not suffer as health care providers take on additional responsibilities. ACCESS works with providers to strategize the best way to integrate new services around their needs in an organized manner.<br />&nbsp;<br /> While effective ANC prevents many undesirable outcomes for women and babies, it is equally important as a vehicle for women to learn about the benefits of skilled attendance at birth, postpartum and postnatal care, and to discuss newborn care and optimal birth spacing. Many aspects of ANC can also be done in the community, making it an essential link in the household-to-hospital continuum of care.<br />&nbsp;<br /> Thank you for your continued interest in the ACCESS Program.<br />&nbsp;<br /> Patricia Gomez<br /> Clinical Specialist<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="space" width="1" valign="top" rowspan="5" style="margin: 0px; padding: 8px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/spacer.gif" border="0" width="1" height="10" alt="" /></td> <td id="feature1" width="495" valign="top" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: left; font-size: 11px; color: #000000; margin: 0px; padding: 7px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_pgmnews.gif" border="0" width="125" height="23" alt="Program News" /><br /> &nbsp;<br /> <div style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 26px; color: #663366;"> ACCESS efforts in Rwanda gain presidential attention</div><br /> <img border="0" hspace="3" src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/programnews/rwa20090100a_auJan2009.jpg" width="250" height="248" alt="First Lady Jeannette Kagame greets Jérémie Zoungrana, ACCESS Country Representative for Rwanda and WRA Board Member" align="right">In an effort to reduce maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity nationally, ACCESS/Rwanda is improving standards of performance in Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC), training providers in EmONC, training community health workers, developing community health messages, and implementing Kangaroo Mother Care to improve care for low birth weight babies. And thanks to its partnership with the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood (WRA), ACCESS work to improve maternal and newborn care is now receiving national-level attention.<br />&nbsp;<br /> Jérémie Zoungrana--acting as both ACCESS Country Representative and WRA board member based in Rwanda--provided ACCESS a unique opportunity to launch a new WRA Chapter in the country, and to act as an effective vehicle for advocacy to create political will for drastic changes that will give women and girls access to life-saving care. This fall, Rwanda's First Lady Jeannette Kagame was the keynote speaker at the official launch of a new WRA Chapter in Rwanda. The WRA, an international organization working to promote safe pregnancy in 110 countries and National Alliances, had not previously had a presence in the country.<br /> <div style="text-align: right"><a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/about/pgmnews/20090100.htm" target="_blank"><font color="#0000CC"><b> Learn more</b></font></a> <a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/about/pgmnews/20090100.htm" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/rightarrow.gif" width="8" height="9" border="0" alt="right arrow, to full text" /></a><br />&nbsp;</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="countryspot" width="495" valign="top" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: left; font-size: 11px; color: #000000; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_countryspot.gif" border="0" width="153" height="23" alt="Country Spotlight" /><br /> &nbsp;<br /> <div style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 26px; color: #663366;"> Malawi:</div> <div style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 20px; color: #663366;"> Increasing utilization of maternal and newborn health services</div><br /> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/country_blurbs/apMalawi01.jpg" width="250" height="134" hspace="3" alt="Hospital employees dancing at recognition ceremony for hospital achieving national infection prevention standards" align="right">In Malawi, ACCESS is improving the availability of and access to sustainable maternal and newborn health services at the facility and community levels. Specifically, ACCESS is supporting Ministry of Health (MOH) and USAID efforts to increase utilization of these services and the practice of healthy behaviors to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.<br />&nbsp;<br /> Since October 2007, ACCESS has been working at the community, district and national levels to integrate focused antenatal care, basic emergency obstetric care (BEmOC) and postpartum care along the Household-to-Hospital Continuum of Care (HHCC). Program initiatives have formed an integral part of the MOH's roadmap for reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, and ACCESS has already achieved a number of important measurable results in Malawi.<br /> <div style="text-align: right"> <a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/wherework/cntryPrograms/apMalawi.htm" target="_blank"> <font color="#0000CC"><b>Learn more</b></font></a> <a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/wherework/cntryPrograms/apMalawi.htm" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/rightarrow.gif" width="8" height="9" border="0" alt="right arrow, to full text" /></a></div>&nbsp; </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="feature3" width="495" valign="top" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: left; font-size: 11px; color: #000000; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_toolres.gif" border="0" width="172" height="23" alt="Tools and Resources" /><br /> &nbsp;<br /> Take a moment to visit the &quot;Tools and Resources&quot; section of the ACCESS Web site to review our new publications:<br />&nbsp;<br /> <b>Clinical</b><br /> - <a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/toolres/pubs.htm#bpmnc"> Best Practices in Maternal and Newborn Care</a><br /> Developed by the ACCESS Program, this Learning Resource Package is aimed at skilled providers wanting to improve their skills in essential and basic emergency obstetric and newborn care. This &quot;generic&quot; Package can be adapted to the needs of individual countries updating their pre-service and in-service programs. Includes Facilitator&#39;s and Participant&#39;s guides, presentations, and handouts, including interactive tools for course tutors.<br />&nbsp;<br /> <b>E-Courses and Multimedia</b><br /> - <a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/redirect.asp?url=http://www.globalhealthlearning.org"> Postpartum Family Planning eLearning Course</a><br /> Take advantage of this free opportunity to update your knowledge! A new e-learning course, developed by the ACCESS-FP Program, has been added to USAID&#39;s Global Health eLearning Center. The purpose of this course is to orient the learner to the rationale and the importance of family planning during the postpartum period, and to introduce the learner to service delivery, contraceptive methods, and programmatic considerations unique to family planning during the postpartum period.<br />&nbsp;<br /> <b>General</b><br /> - <a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/redirect.asp?url=http://www.pphprevention.org/AMTSLlearningmaterials.php"> AMTSL Learning Materials</a><br /> Developed by The Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage Initiative with ACCESS Program technical review; available in English and French.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="space2" width="495" valign="top" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: left; font-size: 11px; color: #000000; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/spacer.gif" border="0" width="1" height="10" alt="" /><img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_contactwbg.gif" border="0" width="101" height="23" alt="Contact Us" /><br /> &nbsp;<br /> <a href="mailto:&#097;&#099;&#099;&#101;&#115;&#115;&#117;&#112;&#100;&#097;&#116;&#101;&#115;&#064;&#106;&#104;&#112;&#105;&#101;&#103;&#111;&#046;&#110;&#101;&#116;?subject=Subscribe%20to%20ACCESS%20Updates"> <font color="#0000CC">Subscribe to <i>ACCESS Updates</i></font></a><br />&nbsp;<br /> <a href="mailto:&#097;&#099;&#099;&#101;&#115;&#115;&#117;&#112;&#100;&#097;&#116;&#101;&#115;&#064;&#106;&#104;&#112;&#105;&#101;&#103;&#111;&#046;&#110;&#101;&#116;?subject=Update%20ACCESS%20Updates%20Subscription"><font color="#0000CC"> Update Your Subscription Information</font></a><br />&nbsp;<br /> </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="feature3" width="660" valign="top" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: left; font-size: 11px; color: #000000; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 8px 8px 8px;"> <img src="http://www.accesstohealth.org/images/webalerts/mu_tellfriendwbg.gif" border="0" width="113" height="23" alt="Tell a Friend" /><br /> &nbsp;<br /> Please share this e-newsletter with your friends and colleagues.<br />&nbsp;<br /> If they would like to receive future issues directly, they can <a href="mailto:&#097;&#099;&#099;&#101;&#115;&#115;&#117;&#112;&#100;&#097;&#116;&#101;&#115;&#064;&#106;&#104;&#112;&#105;&#101;&#103;&#111;&#046;&#110;&#101;&#116;?subject=Subscribe%20to%20ACCESS%20Updates"><font color="#0000CC"> subscribe</font></a>.&nbsp;<br />&nbsp; </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="footer" colspan="3" bgcolor="#CC6600" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: right; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #FFFFFF; margin: 0px; padding: 6px 9px 6px 8px;"> 1615 Thames Street, Suite 205&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;Baltimore, MD 21231-3492, USA&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;www.accesstohealth.org </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="footer" align="center" colspan="3" valign="top" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; text-align: center; font-size: 10px; color: #000000; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 8px 8px 8px;"> &nbsp;<br />This e-mail was sent by the ACCESS Program.<br /> <a href="http://www.accesstohealth.org/privacy.htm" target="_blank"><font color="#0000CC"> Privacy Policy</font></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:&#097;&#099;&#099;&#101;&#115;&#115;&#117;&#112;&#100;&#097;&#116;&#101;&#115;&#064;&#106;&#104;&#112;&#105;&#101;&#103;&#111;&#046;&#110;&#101;&#116;?subject=Unsubscribe%20from%20ACCESS%20Updates"><font color="#0000CC">Unsubscribe</font></a></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>