1. Examining effects of user fee abolishment for women and children in Burkina Faso

This project is implemented by Société d’Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique in Burkina Faso in collaboration with Université de Montréal in Canada and the Ministère de la Santé in Burkina Faso

Limited access to affordable and quality care remains a significant hurdle to overcome across Sub-Saharan Africa. Population coverage and access to health services remains low in Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso is the first African country to introduce a national policy for universal free health care for mothers and children, with a national health insurance fund established two years later.

The main objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness and challenges of implementing a national user fee abolition policy and to inform strategies that promote integration. Adoption, sustainability and scalability of the program in different regions are examined. The research also examines the linkage of free healthcare with Universal Health Insurance, reliability of health information systems to track treatment and related payments, the costs of these services in different areas and the impact of free maternal and reproductive health care.  With the spike in COVID-19 cases, the research team added a data collection activity related to COVID and how it is impacting maternal and child health. Early analysis suggests the pandemic is weakening the earlier gains that were made. Specifically, health seeking practices have deteriorated and neonatal mortality rate is on the rise.  

 

2. Interventions to Improve Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Mali and Burkina Faso

This project is implemented by the Société d’Études et de Recherches en Santé Publique in collaboration with the Centre de recherche de l’Université Laval in Canada and the Ministère de la santé et de l’hygiène publique in Mali.

Maternal, newborn and child health outcomes in West Africa lag behind averages reported in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The rates of maternal and child deaths in Mali and Burkina Faso remain unacceptably high, compounded in part by protracted conflict, internal displacement, and long distances to travel when accessing health services in many parts of these countries.

This project examines adoption, sustainability and scalability of ongoing maternal and child health interventions by engaging communities, strengthening local health systems and influencing key decision-makers. Interventions address pressing health challenges for vulnerable groups such as  seasonal preventative treatment for malaria in children aged 3 to 59 months; prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV; and a special focus reaching nomadic women. Further, strengthening response to the interventions has included the establishment of women's user committees, augmenting care in maternity waiting homes and promoting the use of village health funds. This project considers gender roles and power dynamics through issues such as men's involvement or participation of women in the governance of health services. It also addresses inequalities in access to service