Senait Tibebu, MSc, Pathfinder International-Ethiopia Office, 9 Galen Street, Suite 217, Watertown, MA 02472, (617) 924--7200, mkane@pathfind.org

Ethiopia’s women suffer from an extremely high maternal mortality rate estimated at 871/100,000 live births [DHS 2000], considered to be the result of poor nutritional status, high fertility rates, and inadequate access to health services. Studies show that while a quarter of pregnant women receive antenatal care, less than 10% receive professionally assisted delivery care and only 2% postnatal care. In addition, the TFR shows almost no sign of decline at about six children per woman, with a CPR of only 8.1% [DHS 2000].

In an effort to increase access to quality FP/RH, Pathfinder/Ethiopia initiated a community-based RH program that covers 30 out of 39 villages in one district. Pathfinder conducted a study to measure the effect of this program on knowledge and use of FP/RH services. The study compared project areas with non-project areas, using an operations research design called Static-Group Comparison. Six villages were randomly selected (three from project and 3 from non-project areas), which included 559 women of reproductive age (279 from project and 280 from non-project areas). Secondary data was collected from health institutions in the study area.

Overall, the study revealed that women in project areas had significantly higher knowledge and utilization of FP/RH services and a greater knowledge of HIV/AIDS than women in non-project areas. The program also led to a decline in the TFR, which dropped to two children per woman. Such promising achievements offer a “best practice” model for similar projects in Ethiopia and elsewhere around the world.

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