Quality Improvement of Integrated HIV, TB and malaria services in antenatal and postnatal care

The Global Fund and Allied Programmes Unit (GFAPU) 

GFAPU

Maternal, perinatal and newborn health is vital to every individual, family, and society.

Yet, despite notable achievements having been made to reduce maternal and newborn deaths, mothers and their babies are still dying in too large numbers – mostly from preventable or treatable causes, such as infectious diseases and complications during pregnancy or childbirth.

Since 2016, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has generously funded our research with the aim to deliver a quality improvement process that can be used to systematically assess and improve the availability, quality and efficiency of integrated HIV, TB and Malaria services provided at health facilities in antenatal and postnatal care.

The Global Fund and Allied Programmes Unit (GFAPU) at LSTM is committed to helping achieve this aim. Our team members have a sound background in maternal, newborn and child health and extensive experience conducting all stages of implementation research. We collaborate with partners and governments in host countries to design, deliver and implement a research programme for improving antenatal and postnatal care and by doing so saving the lives of mothers and their babies.

Working with in-country partners 

We work through and with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and in-country partners to design, implement and evaluate programmes. By adapting and aligning our interventions to existing health systems, we build capacity and provide tailored activities and technical assistance to support countries in strengthening their health systems, as well as generating evidence for policy-making.

Our partners are vital to the development of workplans and details of implementation. In order to provide a platform for sustainability, all aspects of a programme are gradually ‘handed-over’ to the Ministry of Health and aligned to national activities, with LSTM standing by as a partner for technical assistance and supporting quality assurance. This approach includes building and/or strengthening the capacity of master trainers and supervisors, who can continue training and support of healthcare providers beyond the timelines of programmes.