The ACCESS Program, a 5-year global program sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to improve the health and survival of mothers and their newborns through the use of key maternal and newborn health services. The Program is implemented by JHPIEGO in partnership with Save the Children, the Futures Group, the Academy for Educational Development, the American College of Nurse-Midwives, and Interchurch Medical Assistance. ACCESS works with USAID missions, governments, nongovernmental organizations, local communities, and partner agencies in developing countries to achieve sustainable improvements in maternal and newborn health and survival. By actively collaborating with faith-based organizations (FBOs), ACCESS is able to further expand its reach and scale up programs where FBO networks have spent decades establishing access, trust, and strong programs.Continuum of Care from the Household to the HospitalThe ACCESS Program works to expand coverage, access, and use of health services across a continuum of care from the household to the hospital with the aim of making high-quality health services accessible as close to the home as possible. Through proven, cost-effective approaches to maternal and newborn care, ACCESS aims to lay a foundation to enable families in the poorest environments to achieve what many in the world take for granted?the health and survival of their mothers and newborns. ACCESS does this in partnership with governments and local communities through:
The program also seeks to draw on global and national resources to meet the critical need of maternal and newborn health. ACCESS is a key partner in USAID's Malaria Action Coalition, offering technical assistance to countries to strengthen the link between prevention and treatment of malaria and antenatal care services.
Technical InterventionsACCESS uses a comprehensive technical approach based on the following components:
Community interventions that are evidence-based. Because facility-based interventions are not always available or accessible, it is critical to provide community-based care and outreach while promoting community mobilization to demand high-quality services. The ACCESS approach to community intervention addresses key barriers to health care access and use, and seeks to promote appropriate household behaviors. The Program promotes interventions that are practical and affordable in preventing and managing the major causes of maternal and newborn illness and death.
Clinical interventions that enhance the ability of health care providers to deliver basic and emergency care that is appropriate for low-resource settings to mothers and newborns in communities and facilities. The ACCESS Program promotes integration of care to enable mothers and newborns to receive the full range of services that can make a difference in their survival, such as intermittent preventive treatment for malaria. Performance and quality improvement approaches encourage objective and continuous assessment of providers and facilities with the goal of meeting the needs of the families they serve.
Policy and advocacy activities that raise awareness about the magnitude of newborn and maternal mortality, and facilitate policy change to improve their health and survival. The goals of policy change are to improve access to high-quality services, resource allocation for maternal and neonatal health, equity in health services, collaboration, and long-term sustainability. ACCESS influences policy, guidelines, and the content of preservice and inservice training systems, with a focus on enhancing the knowledge and skills of those cadres of health workers who will play a key role in delivering services in or near the communities. Global LeaderACCESS is increasingly recognized as a global leader for policy and advocacy, technical expertise, and implementing evidence-based interventions and approaches in maternal and newborn health. From a three-country program, ACCESS has matured into a global program that currently has programs in Haiti, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, in addition to providing support to more than 10 other countries. Through its rich partnership, the Program has demonstrated the technical and programmatic expertise to both advocate for and support the full range of maternal and newborn health care interventions from the household to the referral level.
ACCESS-FP Associate Award
The ACCESS-FP Program aims to reposition family planning services and promote their integration as life-saving interventions at every point along the continuum of care. Associate awards are cooperative agreements or grants, which USAID Missions or regional bureaus develop with the ?leader? of a Leader with Associates cooperative agreement. USAID Missions and regional bureaus can buy into this award through core funds, field support, or MARDS.
ACCESS Program Website: www.accesstohealth.org
