PERSON-CENTERED CARE IN ACTION:
TRANSFORMING MATERNAL, NEWBORN, AND CHILD HEALTH.
By Fana Abay, Marketing and Communication Director & Eba Kebede, Coordinator, MNCH Quality and Training, PSI Ethiopia
In Ethiopia’s remote regions, where access to quality healthcare has long been a challenge, a transformative shift is underway. Through the collaborative efforts of PSI Ethiopia (PSI/E) and the Ethiopian Midwives Association (EMwA), healthcare workers are gaining the tools and knowledge needed to provide better care, empowering women and adolescents to make informed health decisions. The Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) program highlights how capacity building and collaboration can bridge healthcare gaps and improve outcomes.
COLLABORATION: THE FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS
Collaboration has been the backbone of the MNCH program’s success. Government stakeholders, from the Ministry of Health (MoH) to regional health bureaus (RHBs) and district health offices (WoHOs), played a pivotal role. For example, in the Amhara region, the RHB promptly allocated a budget to train 119 HEWs who had been previously excluded. This government support, combined with the expertise of PSI/E and EMwA, strengthened healthcare systems to meet the specific needs of young women.
Mr. Abebe, Deputy Head of the Amhara RHB, reflected on the program’s collaborative approach, saying, “The integration between PSI/E, EMwA, and our regional staff shows the strength of what we can achieve when we work together. This partnership has equipped us with the tools and capacity to improve healthcare in our communities.”
With a 99% participation rate among healthcare workers, the program’s success is evident. Training materials, tailored to local contexts and languages, resonated deeply with healthcare providers, ensuring that knowledge transfer was both effective and sustainable.
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR PERSON-CENTERED HEALTHCARE
At the heart of this initiative lies a Human-Centered Design (HCD) approach, ensuring that training and tools are tailored to the needs of healthcare workers and the women they serve. PSI/E’s comprehensive training program targeted Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and healthcare workers (HCWs), enhancing their skills and knowledge in postpartum family planning, Counseling for Choice (C4C), and maternal health services such as antenatal and postnatal care.
More than 1,298 HEWs were trained on the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) continuum of care, enabling them to deliver integrated, high-impact care to mothers and newborns in their communities. Additionally, 130 midwives received training on postpartum family planning (PPFP), with a focus on the Counseling for Choice (C4C) tool, which simplifies contraceptive counseling, reduces information overload, and fosters empathetic, client-centered services. Further, 128 midwives were trained in maternal health services, including Smart antenatal care and postnatal care, ensuring women receive essential support during and after pregnancy.
Training sessions combined hands-on practice, role-playing, and locally tailored materials to ensure relevance and engagement. As one HEW in Chiro Woreda shared, “We haven’t received basic training for a long time, but now, thanks to PSI/E and EMwA, we gained the knowledge and practical tools that truly fit our community’s needs.”
Tools like C4C, co-developed with healthcare workers and adolescent clients, showcase how tailored innovations can strengthen routine healthcare, empower providers, and improve decision-making for young women.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Despite its successes, the program faced challenges. Security issues in certain regions disrupted training efforts, while delays in finalizing training materials slowed the program’s initial rollout. Additionally, limited infrastructure in remote areas sometimes constrained access to health facilities and resources for hands-on practice.
However, through close collaboration with local governments and flexible planning, PSI/E and its partners mitigated these disruptions. Training schedules were adapted, and local facilitators played a crucial role in ensuring the program remained on track. These efforts allowed healthcare workers to continue receiving the knowledge and tools needed to deliver life-changing care.
THE PATH TO A HEALTHIER FUTURE
The MNCH program demonstrates that addressing gaps in healthcare delivery through capacity building and collaboration leads to lasting change. By equipping healthcare workers with the skills and tools they need, and co-developing person-centered solutions with the people they serve, barriers to care are breaking down. As one healthcare worker noted, “Counseling for Choice (C4C) makes counseling easier for us and helps young women feel more confident in their decisions. It’s a huge improvement from the old methods.”
Empowering healthcare workers and fostering collaboration aren’t just strategies — they are pathways to a healthier future. With these efforts, PSI/E and its partners are ensuring that every adolescent girl and young woman in Ethiopia has access to the care they need, when they need it.
