Journey so far
Since the launch of the initiative, we have been working tirelessly on various projects and programs, all focused at reducing maternal, neonatal and child mortality in the State. The initiative utilizes high impart thematic areas targeting gaps and barriers to maternal and child healthcare, in achieving its objectives.
Tomotiya Coordination Meeting with Ward Health Keepers (WHKs)
The initiative organised a day coordination meeting with the WHKs working in the five (5) pilot Local Governments namely; Ido, Atiba, Orelope, Iwajowa and Itesiwaju. The WHKs were reminded of their responsibilities and the qualities they need to possess as community health rangers in their respective Local Governments. They were also taught how to identify symptoms of communicable diseases, how to prevent themselves, and the need to report quickly for prompt outbreak response. Furthermore, the WHKs were given the opportunity to present a short progress report of what was working well for them and where they had challenges. The challenges were addressed by the Special Adviser on Health to the Governor, the Commissioner for Health, the Executive Secretary (Primary Health Care Board), the Provost (College of Nursing and Mid-wifery), World Health Organisation and Hacey Health Initiative.
The Special Adviser on Health further discussed some initiatives put in place to address challenges the WHKs encountered on the field. To address issues pertaining to lack of delivery supplies in some health centers; delivery packs will be provided to women that cannot afford them. To address issues with lack of transportation to health facilities; community Health Taxis will be put in place to convey pregnant women to the PHCs for antenatal visits, and when the women are due for delivery. Lastly, twenty (20) bicycles were also presented to the five (5) Local Government Maternity and Child Health Officers (MCHs); four (4) bicycles per Local Government to aid transportation of WHKs in hard-to-reach wards.
Care Plus Science (Community Midwives) Initiative
The Community Midwifery program is a 2-year program at the school of Nursing and Midwifery to train people from the communities who will work in their local communities. The Tomotiya Initiative initiated the sponsoring of children of Unskilled Birth Attendants and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to this 2-year training program. The idea is to break the succession of TBAs to TBAs through generations as has been the case and to give rise to a new generation of Skilled Birth Attendants caring for our mothers. The Community Midwifery commenced in Oyo state in March 2020.
Presentation of Delivery Packs by Tomotiya Initiative
A major part of the Tomotiya Ward Health Keeper (WHK) initiative is using the WHKs to identify barrier to healthcare in the communities and developing interventions to overcome them. One identified barrier was that mothers are often expected to have certain items during delivery which include some personal items like sanitary pads, cleaning agents and items for the baby. Many mothers are reluctant to deliver at Primary Health Centres if they do have these items. Members of the public co-ordinated by Tomotiya gave funds to organize delivery packs, which contains the items needed during delivery.
Tomotiya Initiative between Wednesday, 13th April 2022 and Wednesday, 20thApril, 2022 presented delivery packs to women who could not afford them. The delivery packs were presented at the five (5) pilot local governments namely; Itesiwaju, Iwajowa, Oorelope, Atiba and Ido.
Training and Engagement of Community Volunteers
Tomotiya Initiative in collaboration with World Health Organisation and Hacey Health Initiatives trained community volunteers on household enumeration and health survey questions in five (5) (pilot) Local Government Areas (LGA) in the state. Data was collected for six (6) days using the Tomotiya Impact Health Digital Application. The LGAs picked were the LGAs with worst health indices. The electronic data captured with GPS mappings would inform health intervention strategies.
Training of Ward Health Keepers
On the 6th of November 2021 Tomotiya Initiative in conjunction with the World Health Organisation trained Ward Health Keepers (WHKs) from five (5) (pilot) Local Government Areas with the worst health indices. The priority focus areas of the WHK were informed by the electronic data collected in with the Tomotiya health survey by the community volunteers. The concept of the WHKs is to have trained members of the community watching out for the vulnerable members of the community especially pregnant women and children. The WHKs will be working in the communities they live in, conducting household visits, health talks, and collecting digital health data with GPS locations. Referring people to the Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres especially pregnant women for antenatal care and children under two (2) years for immunization. The main aim is to improve the Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal and Child health (RMNCH) indices and the overall health of their communities as a whole.
Digital Health
The Tomotiya Impact Health digital application was designed in collaboration with Hacey Health Initiative. The app is used to collect health data in the community with GPS locations. Some of the information collected include information on the health of pregnant women, antenatal visits, immunization, use on Insecticide Treated Net (ITN) to prevent malaria, family planning, nutrition, covid-19, tuberculosis, disease outbreaks like cholera and polio surveillance. Data is received at the headquarters and facilitates prompt intervention. The app is used by the Ward Health Keepers (WHKs) above.