Project Title
Interventions to improve maternal health through community health prepayment schemes in Mubende district funded by Population Services International from 2013 to 2016
Project Overview
The project was funded by Population Services International in partnership with the Program for Accessible health, Communication and Education (PACE). The aim of this project was to get pregnant women in the target communities to complete all four recommended antenatal care visits and deliver in health care facilities. The main project deliverables were:
- 10 community health insurance (CHI) schemes covering at least 3,500 people; and
- Four healthcare facilities contracted as CHI Scheme service providers.
Project Outcomes
A total of 10 CHF schemes were created in the two sub-counties of Kassanda and Bukuya covering 3,449 members (1,502 male and 1,947 female). The 10 schemes were federated into one network to sustain their work after the end of the project.
The network called Munno Mu Bulwadde Mubende Schemes Cooperation Mechanism (MSCOM) was registered with the Mubende district local government as a community-based organisation and its office was established at St. Gabriel Mirembe Maria Health Centre. Five health facilities were contracted to serve scheme members and operated under a referral network.
Scheme members were organized into village health savings and loan associations (VHSLAs) to promote saving for healthcare and other family needs, and linked to a microfinance institution to access low-interest loans. This was done to improve the livelihood of families to be able to continue paying premiums for health insurance in their schemes.