South Sudan: Improving Maternal Outcomes in with CARE's Boma Health Initiative

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Monica, a trained Boma Health Worker, spoke to Aja, a community member,
about health education. CARE South Sudan/Kenyi Evans

Aja Alith is 5 months pregnant and expecting her first child. The recently married 22-year-old lives with her husband in Malual Chal, Kolyang Payam, Bor County- Jonglei State. Aja is one of the many beneficiaries of CARE’s Boma Health Initiative (BHI) Project in Bor County. The project, funded by the World Bank via UNICEF offers a Boma Health Initiative standardized package of community health services to strengthen linkages between communities and primary health facilities and improve community ownership and governance of health services. The initiative aims to improve and refocus the delivery of community health services by training capable community members to become health workers and prioritize health promotion, disease prevention, selective treatment such as malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea, and early referral of complicated diseases and conditions. 
 
CARE works with Boma Health Workers (BHW), which focuses on pregnant women and children under the age of 5. The workers provide antenatal care services to improve maternal outcomes, and screen children for malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea, and nutrition and refer them to health facilities for immunization and nutrition services if necessary. They also conduct health education within the community to raise awareness of health risks. The Boma Health Workers conduct community awareness sessions through household visits, group sessions, or one-on-one sessions. 

Aja is grateful for the weekly visits she receives from the Boma Health Workers as she has learnt the importance of accessing antenatal services and has gained knowledge on good health practices and nutrition services for the safety of her and her unborn child. As a project beneficiary, Aja has received antenatal health care services, counselling and testing, control for malaria, health and hygiene advice as well as referral to other health services. "Right now, I feel very safe in my pregnancy. I don’t have any worries because these health workers always come to check on me," Aja says. 

CARE’s project is very much welcomed by the community as it has made a considerable contribution in improving health education and awareness which has encouraged communities to seek treatment at the medical facilities, subsequently reducing mortality and morbidity.  

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