News and Events
Review of the Equity and Access Programme
After two and a half years of implementation and with one year remaining, a participatory review of the Equity and Access Programme (EAP) was undertaken by Deborah Thomas, Options consultant. The purpose of the review was to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the EAP and the viability of the model for scaling up.
The report concludes that the EAP well on track for achieving its objectives and reaching poor and excluded groups, increasing their knowledge of and demand for maternal and newborn health services and influencing their health behaviours. It suggests this is a result of using a rights based approach and specific targeting of the poor and excluded; implementing a “tried and tested” package of complementary inputs; promoting social empowerment of women; and focusing on local capacity building and networking for sustainability.
For future scaling up, the report suggests that attention should be paid to a number of strategic issues, such as ensuring a better balance between demand side and supply side inputs; addressing safe motherhood within a broader reproductive health framework; investing with a longer term horizon; and developing more institutionalised support for the programme.
27/11/2008
Ashima Shrestha
SSMP
