Family Planning/Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program

Under the US Government’s Foreign Assistance Framework and the United States Agency of International Development/Ethiopia’s Operational Plan, Ethiopia is a developing country with health activities supporting the Investing in People Objective. The new Family Planning/Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (FP/MNCH) Program will directly contribute to the USAID Investing in People Objective and the goal of Improved Family Health through Increased use of high impact family planning, maternal, newborn and child health practices, products and services. Within the Health Sector Development Plan (HSDP), the Federal Ministry of Health (MOH) is pursuing increased access to quality health care services, particularly among rural, vulnerable populations. The Health Extension Program (HEP) is the focal point of the HSDP with the development of Primary Health Care Units (PHCU) comprised of health posts (HPs), health extension workers (HEWs) and health centers (HCs). With the HSDP III and the HEP as a framework for action, USAID’s investment in this important program will clearly support government efforts to improve access to and use of quality health care services. The FP/MNCH program will build on the following USAID supported programs. Currently, there are two flagship bilateral programs and a variety of field support mechanisms implementing USAID-supported RH/FP and child health activities. All USAID-supported activities are conducted within the context of the HSDP. Four results are to be achieved under this program: Improved health practices at the household and community level; Improved availability and quality of health services, products and information; Key elements of health system strengthened to support health services; and Systematic program learning to inform policy and program investment.