Temeyouz – Improving maternal and child health

Improving primary healthcare and maternal and child health in Mauritania

Context: high maternal mortality rate

In Mauritania, demographic characteristics (low population density, nomadism…) and certain sociocultural determinants (early marriages, genital mutilation, home births) pose a challenge for access to healthcare for people. Primary healthcare services, and in particular sexual, reproductive and maternal-child health services, remain limited. The maternal mortality rate is high, with 454 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, which is far off the target of 70 set by the Sustainable Development Goals (ODD). The leading cause of maternal death in Mauritania is post-partum haemorrhage, due to the lack of available blood.

In this context, the National Health Policy by 2030, prepared by the Mauritanian Ministry of Health, targets as a priority maternal mortality, child mortality and the control of communicable and non-communicable diseases. It also aims to accelerate the reduction in maternal mortality to under 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.

With financing from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), this project is increasing access to basic services for people at national level and in fragile regions in the east of the country. 

Under the contracting authority of the Mauritanian Ministry of Health, Expertise France is handling the general coordination of the Temeyouz project.

Objective of the Temeyouz project

The overall objective of the Temeyouz project is to improve primary and maternal and child healthcare in Mauritania. In a cross-cutting manner, it will aim to reduce gender inequalities in access to healthcare and violence against women.

Two operational methods are planned:

• A swift response to the lack of healthcare services in fragile regions in the east of the country, led by three international and national civil society organisations (Médicos del Mundo España, Santé Sud and the Association Mauritanienne pour la Promotion de la Famille)

• A more structural national response, in order to make a lasting contribution to strengthening the health system 

Responding to the emergency in the east of the country

The consortium comprising Médicos del Mundo España, Santé Sud and the Association Mauritanienne pour la Promotion de la Famille (AMPF) will work on managing malnutrition, improving healthcare services for mothers and children and strengthening sexual and reproductive health services, in particular for the management of gender-based violence and the prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula.

Strengthening the national health system

Expertise France provides technical assistance and mobilise experts for two components:

• Support to the National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS) to improve the availability of high-quality blood products in the regions. The Temeyouz project supports capacity building for the CNTS and the creation of the first inter-regional blood transfusion centre (CIRTS), which is based in Kiffa. It covers the needs of regions in the south-east of Mauritania.

• Support to the National Higher School of Health Sciences (ENSSS) to adapt midwife training to health needs and international standards. The aim is to develope a professional degree in midwifery and to initiate a process for accreditation and alignment with the standards of the West African Health Organisation and International Confederation of Midwives. Support to the Kiffa School of Public Health in Assaba is provided within the framework of the project.