MOTHER AND CHILD CARE INITIATIVES OVU FOUNDATION (MCCI)

The body ‘Mother and Child Care Initiatives’ MCCI is a nonprofit organization registered by corporate affairs commission Abuja on the thirteen day of November 2007. Ebonyi state was created in October 1996 with myriads of challenges and unacceptable health indices which requires synergy from governmental organization to address the ugly situation and trends. Though the burden of HIV seems to be the download trend, the pandemic has created several child headed homes with its attention and the dire consequences. It is against this background that the Mother and Child Care Initiative (MCCI) was established as a platform to assist in addressing some of these identified challenges and provide solution to the challenges of vulnerable persons in the society. The Initiative has continued to provide support and care to HIV affected and infected children, their parents and care givers as well as quarterly financial, nutritional and psychosocial support for people living with HIV.

MCCI Treats 904 VVF Patients

MCCI Treats

The Mother and Child Care Initiative, MCCI, of Mrs Josephine Elechi, wife of Ebonyi State former governor, has treated over 904 Vesico-Vaginal Fistula, VVF, patients since its inception in 2007.

904 VVF

Mrs. Elechi made the disclosure , She said the patients were drawn from 16 states of the federation, including Ebonyi.
“The repairs conducted on the patients were free of charge and the initiative will soon commence the repair of another batch of VVF patients at the National Fistula Centre, Abakaliki,” she said.

Patients

“In its bid to reduce the incidences of maternal mortality/ morbidity in the state, the initiative has just concluded its community sensitisation / outreach campaign across the 13 local government areas of the state on safe motherhood,” she said

Reduction of the unacceptably high maternal/neonatal mortality

fistula

The overall goal is to promote the survival of Ebonyi women and children. Action commenced in August 2007 with the drafting of a "road map". The work plan for 2008-2009 was synthesized out of this document.
Many activities have been carried out since 2008 in the areas of promotion of maternal mortality, cancer and gender-based violence

The Federal Ministry of Health

UNFPA

UNICEF

Ebonyi State

Executive Council

Members

Ebonyi State

Legislators

Chairmen of LGAs

and

Coordinators of Development Centres

Corporate Organizations

Financial Institutions

The Media

Various Ministries in the State

The State Planning Commission

Girl-child education

Youth/Women empowerment

HIV/AIDS
A technical committee of three (3) persons from the ministries of Health, Education, Agriculture, Youth and Sports, Women Affairs and Social Development was inaugurated to collaborate between MCCI and their ministries so as to strengthen and increase inter-sectoral collaboration and partnership.
To aid effective evaluation of the MCCI Program, a baseline survey was conducted to obtain data for subsequent evaluation of the Program. To ensure accuracy of data collected, a 2-day baseline survey workshop to train field workers was organized for staff of the health and education departments in the 13 LGAs and for staff of the line ministries. The MCCI monitoring team supervised and monitored the data collection. The data was processed, analyzed and sent to the line ministries to assist in their policy formulation.
A 3-day Safe Motherhood Workshop was organized for all stakeholders including EXCO members, Legislators; the Judiciary, Local Government Chairmen, Development Center Coordinators and their spouses, traditional rulers, the clergy,

Orphan and vulnerable children

(OVCs)

USAID
traditional birth attendants (TBAs) and other care givers to create awareness and sensitize the public about the unacceptable maternal mortality and morbidities in the State, as well as proffer ways of reducing the scourge.
The workshop which kick-started with a Safe Motherhood Walk at the State capital led by Mrs. Elechi, accompanied by the Deputy Governor and his wife and other Ebonyi men and women, ran simultaneously in the State Capital and 13 LGAs of the State. There was also a pre-workshop symposium organized by MCCI with expert representatives from the Federal Ministries of Health and Education as well as UNICEF. Other key stakeholders in the State Ministries of Education and Health also participated. There were three interactive sessions after the workshop and the third session had the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health in attendance. The conceptual document of MCCI was further ventilated during the sessions as well as ways of strengthening the relevant ministries of Health and Education.

Reduction of maternal morbidities

obstetric Free
To effectively facilitate the reduction of maternal mortality in the State, a Bill on Mother and Child Initiative and Related Matters capturing maternal mortality monitoring, was sponsored to the State House of Assembly by Elechi. The aim is to, among others, have a law in the State that will make maternal death reportable and stipulates 10 hours duration for referral of pregnant women laboring in peripheral center. The Bill was eventually passed into Law on May 21, 2008 and assented to by the Governor on June 5, 2008. Full implementation of the Law was stepped down to 2009 after adequate sensitization, awareness creation and inauguration of the maternal mortality monitoring committees at the State, LGA and Ward levels, as well as the implementation of the Free Maternal Healthcare Program of the State Government.
A technical committee of the State Ministry of Health and MCCI undertook an evaluation of the state of healthcare facilities in the State to facilitate improvement in the delivery of healthcare services in the State.