Project News

This project focuses on the follow-ups of in-service training to midwives at the health facilities. As the follow-ups, supervisors of midwives regularly check midwives' operational procedures in the field. Then, the supervisors provide instruction and direction to the midwives together with directors of the health facilities based on the result of check so that the midwives can provide appropriate health services utilizing the knowledge and skills they acquired in the in-service training. This project aims to enhance such a supportive environment system for midwives at the health facilities.

In September 2013, a workshop on supportive environment system for midwives was held to promote the understanding of directors at health facilities. Two directors of hospitals in rural area and three directors of health centers in Djibouti city participated. In the workshop, outline of the project, follow-up plans for the training as well as the support to the selected health facility by the project were explained. Additionally, the project requested the participants to develop implementation plan at health facilities for enhancing supportive environment and to create a list of necessary obstetric equipment for providing midwifery services. Directors of health facilities inquired the needs of facilities and the assistance by the project, which led to active exchange of opinions.

And in order to grasp the situation after the workshop, an officer in Maternal and Child Health Department of Ministry of Health and a Japanese expert visited the selected health facilities and assessed midwives' supportive environment including the condition of equipment at each facilities in November 2013.

During the visit to these health facilities, the current condition and the quantity of various kinds of equipment, such as office equipment and ultrasound device for obstetrics were assessed and a list of equipment was created. Based on this list, Japanese experts will discuss together with counterparts which equipment and how many equipment and supplies to be provided. The priority is to provide equipment which is necessary for performing basic Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) and which the selected health facilities have shortage of or which is broken.

After the provision of equipment, the project plans to monitor whether the equipment is appropriately utilized by midwives and properly managed at the health facilities through the occasion of follow-ups of in-service training and supervision for midwives.