USAID SQALE
The USAID SQALE Community Health Services Program was a three-year project to improve maternal and child health through a focus on community health systems in Kenya.
Many women die or become disabled because they fail to access the recommended health services – both antenatal and when they give birth. A complex range of factors effect women and children’s access to services. These challenges can be compounded by poor health facilities, a lack of supplies, inadequately trained or poorly motivated staff and lack of referral services. Community health systems and services have the potential to improve maternal and child health but they need support. USAID SQALE supported this effort through a process of Quality Improvement that included capacity building and community engagement. Our aim was to strengthen leadership and coordination at national, county and community levels by embedding a culture of quality improvement practice.
How we supported USAID SQALE
For three years, we were contracted to manage the knowledge management aspect which included the documentation of programme information, capacity building of community members on photography and writing managing the website, writing and editing blogs, writing policy briefs, design work and logo development, strategic planning and staff coordination. We were also in charge of the storage and sharing of information. Of special significance, we attended and documented the final learning event which brought together implementers of the programme from the three pilot counties and wrote this multimedia report.
Read more about our work on community health
Building a multi-country partnership to conduct inter-country research on community health
Improving data quality in community health programmes: Recommendations from inter-country research
REACHOUT CONSORTIUM and international conferences: How our engagement has prompted positive change
Measuring quality in Malawi’s community health system: Barriers and challenges