What We Do
FOHSEN Has Three Priorities
MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH
Children lack access to essential health, nutrition, and early stimulation throughout their ‘first 1,000 days’. For many children in Senegal, disadvantage begins even before birth with poor maternal nutrition and inadequate access to prenatal and postnatal care. Adolescent childbearing is common in Senegal, with 40 percent of women having given birth before the age of 20 years. These young women are neither physically mature to conceive and deliver nor psychologically prepared to take care of children. Maternal mortality, one of the most fundamental determinants of optimal child development, is 315 per 100,000 in Senegal; while this is less than half of the average in West and Central Africa (679), it is almost double South Asia’s (182). As a result, our programming focuses on supporting mothers throughout the pre and postnatal phases.
Children in Senegal lack access to essential health care, nutrition, and stimulation during their first 1,000 days of life, a critical period of time in their development. For many of these children, their disadvantage begins before birth due to poor maternal nutrition and inadequate access to prenatal and postnatal care. Adolescent childbearing is common in Senegal, with 40 percent of women having given birth before the age of 20 years old. These young women are neither physically mature enough to conceive and deliver nor psychologically prepared to take care of children. The maternal mortality rate, which is a fundamental determinant of optimal child development, is 315 per 100,000 in Senegal; while this is less than half of the average rate in West and Central Africa (679:100,000), it is almost double that of South Asia (182:100,000). In order to improve health outcomes for children and mothers, our programming focuses on supporting mothers throughout the pre and postnatal phases.
- Newborn Care
- Family Planning
- Prenatal Care
EXPANDING HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE
Studies show that the following obstacles limit the accessibility to quality health services: (a) the density of health centers is low, reducing their geographical accessibility and capacity for outreach activities; (b) qualified health workers prefer to work in urban areas, especially Dakar; (c) the performance of health workers is weak; and (d) health facilities have limited funding for ensuring the availability of drugs and supplies.Consequently, FOHSEN will focus on expanding access to early health services by ensuring the number of formal, public sector, early health locations are increased through construction and rehabilitation of annexes or new buildings to primary health posts.
Studies show that the following obstacles limit accessibility to quality health services in Senegal:
(a) The density of health centers is low, reducing their geographical accessibility and capacity for outreach activities;
(b) Qualified health workers prefer to work in urban areas, especially Dakar;
(c) The performance of health workers is weak;
(d) Health facilities have limited funding for ensuring the availability of drugs and supplies.
To meet these obstacles, FOHSEN will expand access to formal, public sector, early health centers through construction of new buildings or converting annexes to health posts.
EXPANDING THE USE OF TELEMEDICINE
Mobile technology and the expansion of telemedicine are promising for increasing access to healthcare. However, there are numerous challenges preventing the adoption of this technology in rural communities. Therefore, we strive to remove these barriers and bring such technology to Senegal, where specialists are few and where long distances and the poor quality of infrastructure hinder the movement of physicians and patients.