MNCH TWG Updates 07.09.2016

The MNCH TWG meeting was conducted on 2nd August 2016 at RCHS offices. The agenda included:

  • Matters arising

Status of the TOR for RMNCAH – It was proposed that the TORs need to be shared again among the members to enrich areas that need further inputs.

Action: The secretariat to circulate revised TOR among members for comments.

  • Share and agree on milestones for 2016/2017
  • Members of Task force Team for the upcoming FP 2020 and GFF meeting
  • Revised National Policy Guidelines for RCHS Services 2015
  • Updates from Sub working Groups (FP, SMI, NCH, Gender, RHca, PMTCT, IVD, ARH and MIS)
  • AOB

1:0 RMNCAH Milestones for 2016/17

Presentation of the draft milestones to be achieved for one year 2016/17, planned actions and indicators was done. After the presentations there were some concerns from the members that milestones are too general, not achievable, sounds like long term goals hence need to be broken down into clear and specific actions.

Action: Small team comprising of: Dr. Theopista John (WHO), Felister Bwana (UNFPA), Regina (GIZ), Dr. Azayo and Christie (RCHS) to work on refining the milestones.

Status: The team worked on the same day to refine the milestones and indicators and submitted to the Ag Assistant Director RCHS for final submission to the SWAp TC (see final submission attached).

2:0 Members of Task Force Team for Upcoming FP 2020 Reference Group and GFF Investors Group Meeting

Meeting was informed that in October 2016, the Government of Tanzania is expecting to be the host of high level meeting of upcoming FP 2020 RG and GFF Investors Group Meeting. The meeting will take place from 31st Oct to 3rd Nov 2016 in Dar-es-salaam. Based on how the discussion will evolve in the coming weeks, members of both groups will also conducted field visit to selected sites especially those supported by the RMNCH Trust Fund. There might be also a bridge day for FP2020 and GFF that will also include meeting with youth groups, and possibly holding a Tanzania FP CSO meeting proposed for November 3rd Nov.

To facilitate the country in hosting the mission, members proposed to formulate a task force team to support organization and preparations of meetings. Members of the TF will include Government (MOHCDGEC/RCHS/HIMS/DPP), UN system, WB, bilateral and multilateral DPs and NGOs particularly those working on RMNCAH.

Action: The Ministry (RCHS) will officially inform selected members and share tentative schedule for the meetings.

3:0 Revised National Policy Guidelines for RCHS Services (NPG RCHS-2015)

Short presentation was done by RCHS on the status of the review. The revised guidelines replace the NPG RCHS (2003) that is out dated. The background, rationale and alignment with other national policy documents were shared.

During the discussion, it was noted that the Ministry has started conducting revision of the National Health Policy (NHP, 2007). Thus, the meeting suggested waiting for completion of NHP before finalizing the NPG RCHS.

Action: Keep the process of reviewing the National Policy Guidelines for RCHS Services on hold until the new Health Policy comes out.

4:0 Update from Sub Working Groups

The chairperson invited members from the sub working groups to provide updates on what have been agreed in their working groups, as follows:-

4.1 Family Planning:

  • National FP costed Implementation Program end line performance assessment review is ongoing. TOR and tools have been developed.Findings from the assessment will inform the development of the FP Costed Implementation Plan II.

Action: RCHS/FP to share the tools with TWG members.

  • National launch of Family Planning Dash Board in Dar es Salaam which shows services, commodities, stock out and training data was conducted. Regional Launch has been done in Lake and Western Zones.
  • The program is in the process of implementing Implanon NXT phase plan. Material will be adopted from Kenya.

4.2 Safe Mother Hood Initiatives (SMI)

  • The MPDSR guideline has already been finalized and printed; dissemination has started countrywide. By mid-September all regions in Tanzania mainland will be covered.
  • Development of cPAC guidelines, participant manual and antenatal corticosteroids guidelines completed, signed for printing and distribution.

4.3 Newborn and Child Health

  • Following findings of pilot study conducted in Kibaha and Mukuranga District Councils, the Ministry’s Management approves to change RCH card No.1 to child booklets based on new WHO Growth S.
  • Helping Baby Breathe (HBB) program supported by CIFF was closed in June 2016. At present HBB has been incorporated in Essential New-born Care (ENC) package instead of standalone intervention.

4.4 Gender

  • Training package of GBV/VAC clinical management reviewed with the support from JSI/AIDS FREE
  • Report of Human Right Based Approach (HRBA) is being finalized in collaboration of UNFPA.
  • Mwananyamala and Mbeya One Stop Centres will be launched in August 2016.

4.5 Reproductive Cancers (RHca)

  • Planning to increase coverage of women of reproductive age coming for cervical screening to 10,000,000 by 2017
  • Revision of M & E tools for cervical cancers screening and treatment will be conducted in September 2016.

4.6 PMTCT:

  • It was reported that annual report of PMTCT for year 2015 is in place
  • eMTCT plan 2012 -2015 ended last year. Consultants are engaged to prepare and finalize the second plan by October 2016.

4.7Reported HPV and Meningitis as follows:

HPV

  • Demonstration of HPV on going in Kilimanjaro. Post introduction evaluation, costing and coverage survey was conducted.
  • Stakeholders’ meeting was done to share the evaluation report. Lesson learnt will be utilized to rollout the vaccine
  • Development of proposal to GAVI for country rollout of HPV vaccine is being done

Meningitis A

  • IVD experts currently are conducting risk assessment in collaboration with Epidemiology unit to determine the magnitude of the problem
  • In future results will be used for decision making for introduction of intervention of Meningitis A vaccine.
  • Review meetings in Arusha, Dodoma, Geita, Lindi and Ruvuma completed. Councils and decision makers in those regions were involved.

4.8Adolescent RH

  • Advocacy meetings conducted in Lake and Western zones regions in support of ASRH
  • Through support from UNFPA and other partners more than 50 youth friendly RH services corners have been established in selected districts in Lake and Western zones.
  • PERFAR continues to support regions with high population of youths and with high HIV prevalence. The regions are Mbeya and Shinyanga.

Increase of teenage pregnancies:

Based on the recent TDHS 2015/16 data, it is evident that teenage pregnancy is on the increase. Members were concerned and proposed for a national stakeholder’s consultation that will involve youth themselves to strategize on what works that can help the country. Apart from that a task force was also formed to facilitate the national consultation process. Members were selected from different groups (Government, UN, other bilaterally and multilateral DPs, NGOs/CSOs, Youthetc) particularly youth serving organizations.

Action: The MOH/RCHS will send official invitation for proposed members of the task force.

4.9HIMS

  • The RMNCH score card covering the period from October – December 2015, January –March 2016 and April – June 2016 has been developed with all RMNCH indicators.

Meeting recommended putting it in the web portal to allow all to access including partners/stakeholders.

5.0AOB

5:1There was a concern brought up on Launching of One Plan II and proper layout and designing of the document. It was noted that the current printed version is disproportionately designed. Hence need to re-arrange, and make proper design and layout.

Chair responded the launch was done in 28 June 2016 using the meeting attended for the closure of Newborn Resuscitation program under CIFF/Jhpiego, where RASs and RMOs from 16 regions attended.

Members proposed to plan for dissemination to other levels to allow harmonization of Councils’ plans that were done during the orientation of Sharpened One Plan. Also utilize it for resource mobilization. Sharing of One Plan II, through various opportunities such as MPDSR orientation and involvement RHMTS & CHMTs was also noted as entry point. Furthermore, the need to have generic presentation for One Plan II to align priorities was sought. It was advised presentations could be reviewed to suit Councils CCHPs Planning process which starts in November 2016.

5:2: GIZ informed the meeting on the two year maternal and newborn project introduced in Lindi and Mtwara regions. Project started in 2015 and will end in 2017. They are planning to conduct midterm evaluation. According to GIZ, DPS has approved to work,TORs developed and two consultants (Dr. SirielMassawe and Sia Msuya)identified.

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