The differences can be explained by the (non)availability of adequate, accessible, affordable and appropriate care, with quality care increasingly identified as a key factor in reducing illness and mortality. At KIT Royal Tropical Institute we work towards better health for mothers and newborns, using our broad experience in this field.

Challenges 

Challenges that contribute to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity included early marriage and early pregnancy, unmet need for family planning, and high rates of unintended pregnancies – often leading to unsafe abortions. Evidence to guide and prioritise effective responses to address the above challenges is mostly available. But details on context-specific conditions for implementation and the scaling-up of interventions remains a challenge. Implementation is hindered by a lack of adequate human resources and has spurred efforts to strengthen the role of Community Health Workers. However the integration of these interventions into health systems remains problematic.

Focus on hard-to-reach groups

KIT’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) team works in close collaboration with partners to address these challenges. We work on the generation of knowledge and building the capacity of community and non-governmental organisations that support vulnerable populations such as: young girls giving birth, women living in remote rural areas or in poor urban areas, marginalised groups such as nomadic populations, and those affected by conflict.

We also work on maternal health from a health systems perspective focusing on:

• Health system strengthening and the integration of maternal health into the health system
• Research and implementation of financial models to support maternal and newborn health, such as performance based financing
• Implementation of mechanisms for continuous quality improvement in maternal and newborn health
• Generating evidence for action and policy reform
  Human resources for (maternal) health
• Mobile communication technology in maternal health