WHO strategy for Quality, equity, dignity for MNCH

Overview

The past two decades have been marked by substantive progress in reducing maternal and child deaths. Yet progress has often been slow to reach those who need it most. Provision of quality care is uneven, and often fails to respect the rights and dignity of those who seek it. Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, supported by the World Health Organization, the H6 partnership and partners from all stakeholder groups, have brought together the Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, (‘the QoC Network’).

Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals and the Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, countries in the QoC Network have agreed on a vision that every pregnant woman and newborn receives good-quality care throughout pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. The vision is underpinned by the core values of quality, equity and dignity. As a step towards ending preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths and achieving universal health coverage, countries in the QoC Network will work together to halve maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths in participating health facilities in a five-year period. This document sets out the four strategic objectives of the QoC Network: leadership, action, learning, and accountability.

Produced by: WHO