News

The Integrated Pathways for Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Project (InPATH) will be expanding into Salima district, Malawi.  Since 2016, the project has been implemented in Chitipa and Kasungu districts. The InPATH project is a 4.5-year, Canadian Dollar 25.8M (USD20 M) project undertaken with the financial support of the Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada (GAC), One Drop Foundation and JCM Power. Cowater International, a Canada-based international development consultancy firm, is the lead agency implementing the project, in consortium with Plan International Canada and Malawi, and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

The goal of the 2016-2021 InPATH project is to con­tribute towards the reduction of maternal, neonatal and child mortality in the targeted districts by strengthening local health systems and improv­ing governance and accountability for results in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.  

“Every Malawian woman deserves quality and respectful maternity care and dignity which can be possible when good infrastructure for maternity, water, latrines and medical waste management systems are in place and functional. The coming of this project will contribute towards this goal for Salima district.” noted the Honourable Minister of Health, Mr. ATUPELE MULUZI, at the InPATH Launch in Salima on February 28, 2019.

Malawi’s current maternal mortality ratio is 439 for 100,000 livebirths.  The InPATH project aims to reduce these deaths by increasing the capacity of skilled health personnel through building local-level capacity for facility and com­munity-based health workers; addressing the need for safe and hygienic environment for deliveries, antena­tal and postnatal care through improved water and sanitation at health facilities; and involving citizens in local-level decision making for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health  service delivery through strengthened local governance structures and mechanisms for citizen engagement. In addition, with the support of One Drop Foundation, InPATH will work with Malawian social artists to tackle change in behaviour by promoting the adoption of healthy behaviours by both users and service providers.

The target beneficiaries of InPATH will be all 37 primary-level public sector health facilities in the three target districts in Malawi (34 health centres and 3 district hospitals) and will directly benefit 601,871 people, including 240,947 women of reproductive age and 260,635 children under five years.

Global Affairs Canada leads Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance efforts globally. Global Affairs Canada is the main donor of InPATH and actively supports the implementation of the Project by reviewing and assessing the Project’s progress towards planned outcomes, maintaining on-going liaison with the Project implementers, participating in Project Steering Committee Meetings or other annual meetings of the Project.

One Drop Foundation is an international foundation established to ensure sustainable access to safe water and sanitation for the most vulnerable communities.  One Drop is providing financial support to InPATH’s WASH infrastructure as well as technical assistance to tackle behaviour change in adopting health behaviours by both users and service providers through an innovative approach of Social Art for Behaviour Change.

JCM Power is an independent power producer, based in Canada, dedicated to accelerating social, economic and environmental sustainability through the development, construction and operation of renewable energy facilities. JCM recently launched their solar photo-voltaic project in Malawi, with one site near the Salima substation and a second site near the Golomoti substation.  They will be providing funding to InPATH through the WASH construction and health facility renovations in Salima.