Publication Date July 1, 2021 Research & Evidence

Effects of Faith Actor Engagement on the Uptake and Coverage of Immunization in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

This report summarizes evidence about vaccine hesitancy trends for both COVID and non-COVID immunizations. It is a special investigation into the role of faith actors on immunization uptake in USAID priority countries for maternal, newborn, and child health and family planning/reproductive health. The report explores common themes in vaccine hesitancy relating to faith. The evidence concludes that vaccine hesitancy among faith communities threatens routine immunization coverage but also demonstrates the potential of engaging faith actors as partners to increase immunization coverage.

Publication Date June 1, 2021 Program & Technical Resources

Radio: A Low-Tech Solution to Deliver Integrated Nurturing Care Services During COVID-19

This brief profiles how MOMENTUM adapted and scaled up an evidence-based Rwandan radio program on nurturing care called "First Steps Intera za Mbere." The program adapted to COVID-19 restrictions to respond to the urgent need created to reach caregivers with vital health information and prevention measures while also expanding the program's reach across the country. "First Steps Intera za Mbere" supports caregivers to provide nurturing care, support child development, improve learning outcomes, and increase emergent literacy promotion for children ages zero to three years old through group sessions and radio programming.

Publication Date June 1, 2021 About MOMENTUM

Commitment to Immunizing Zero-Dose Children

14 million children did not receive their first dose of the essential childhood vaccine that prevents diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) through routine immunization services in 2019. These “zero-dose” children are far more likely to become sick with and die from vaccine-preventable diseases. USAID and its MOMENTUM grantees can add immense complementary expertise in providing technical assistance and capacity building to support national institutions and local partners to reduce the number of zero-dose and under-immunized children. Download this document to learn more about our commitment to immunizing zero-dose children.

Publication Date May 1, 2021 Program & Technical Resources

Building Resilience in Health: The MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience Approach

MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience helps to develop health resilience capacities at individual to national levels to prevent and mitigate vulnerability to shocks and stresses that can affect health and/or health systems, especially in fragile settings. This brief reviews how the project will approach, build, and strengthen health resilience to improve health outcomes for families, communities, and nation-states, particularly in fragile settings.

Publication Date May 1, 2021 Training & Guidance

Essential Supply List For Infection Prevention and Control in Health Care Facilities

Maintaining Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) is essential for health workers to provide safe services for patients and staff. To maintain these IPC precautions, health care facilities must maintain an inventory of essential supplies and equipment. This document includes a list of essential supplies for health facilities in all health care service levels and contexts to include in their inventory for IPC.  This is the first resource to list all essential IPC items in a format similar to the WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines that has guided ministries of health and partners for decades.

Publication Date May 1, 2021 About MOMENTUM

MOMENTUM Presents Podcast, Episode One, Innovating in a Pandemic: Improving water, sanitation, and hygiene services and infection prevention control in health facilities

MOMENTUM has launched a podcast series to highlight experiences and strategies to accelerate improvements in maternal, newborn, and child health services, voluntary family planning, and reproductive health care. The first episode features Dr. Surendra Sharma, MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership’s State Team Leader in India. Dr. Sharma shares how he and his team worked to instill a sense of security among public and private providers to safely deliver care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Publication Date May 1, 2021 Research & Evidence

Implementing a Novel Facility-Community Intervention for Strengthening Integration of Infant Nutrition and Family Planning in Mara and Kagera, Tanzania

This study in Tanzania explored the effects of an integrated, multi-level intervention to boost maternal and infant nutrition and postpartum family planning. During the study, mothers and their partners remained interested in post-partum family planning, including the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM). LAM was strengthened through a self-tracking self-care tool. The study commenced under the Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP), MOMENTUM's predecessor project.

Publication Date May 1, 2021 About MOMENTUM

MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics Fact Sheet

MOMENTUM Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics assists country governments, institutions, organizations, and networks to build awareness of, equitable access to, and provision of high-quality surgical care.

Publication Date May 1, 2021 Training & Guidance

Behaviorally Focused Applied Political Economy Analysis

It is important for agencies supporting health systems in low and middle-income countries to focus on methodologies and tools that facilitate feasible, scalable, and appropriate responses to public health challenges that do not show significant progress even after substantial effort toward improvement. The Behaviorally Focused Applied Political Economy Analysis (BF-APEA), developed by MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership, is a methodology that facilitates a holistic approach to these challenges. The BF-APEA maps visible and invisible causes behind challenges and then determines effective solutions to sustainable health outcomes.

Publication Date May 1, 2021 Research & Evidence

Maintaining Continuity of Essential Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Francophone West Africa

MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership contributed to this new study that aimed to analyze the challenges and solutions for maintaining the continuity of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Francophone West Africa.