THE AFRICA BAZAAR MAGAZINE Staff Writer

January 22, 2020

In effort to improve the healths of mothers, infants and children worldwide, U.S Agency for International Development has rolled out a new global health grant funding to expedite reductions in maternal, newborn and child morbidity in high-burden countries.

The award, valued at $130 million, was split into two grants administered through the agency’s MOMENTUM programs that is aimed at increasing the role of governments and local non-government organizations to establish, provide, increase and support the use of evidence-based, high-quality maternal, reproductive, newborn, and child health care and voluntary family planning.

The funds will support the works of international and domestic partner agencies through a earmarked-comprehensive, flexible financing package and technical assistance that enable partner agencies to overcome setbacks and move towards measurable, affordable, accessible, reliable and self-reliant health care services using knowledge management such as data that ultimately improve the life-quality of women, mothers and their children.

The funds—$100 million will be split between Jhpiego Corporation and 12 sub-partners: Avenir Health, BAO Systems, Christian Connections for International Health, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Johns Hopkins University International Vaccine Access Center, The Manoff Group, Matchboxology, McKinsey & Company, PACT, Save the Children, Quicksand, and Ubora Quality Institute. The remaining $30 million will be given to Population Reference Bureau and two sub-partners: John Snow Incorporated, Research and Training Institute; and Ariadne Labs

The MOMENTUM awards, launched at the end of last year, is the first two in a series of global healths grants set aside by the USAID to improve the wellbeing of women and children, globally. 

The agency said it plans to give out additional MOMENTUM grants in early 2020.