The Alive and Thrive Implementation Research Project on Implementing an Urban Private Sector Model of IYCF Counselling in Private Health Facilities in Lagos State

This IR was managed by FHI 360 and was conducted by Equitable Health Access Initiative from February 2019 to June, 2020. Equitable Health Access Initiative collaborated with relevant stakeholders to engage and build the capacity of 10 private health facilities to deliver a package of high quality breastfeeding support services on EIBF and EBF to pregnant women and mothers with children 0-6 months. The project also reached fathers and other influential family members (grandmothers and mothers-in-law) with customized package of high quality breastfeeding support messages.

The core goals of the IR were to document feasibility of implementing a standard package of IYCF counselling and support for pregnant women and mothers who use private health facilities in Lagos to improve early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding and to generate evidence on the impact of implementing the IYCF package on Exclusive Breastfeeding practices.

The objectives of the Implementation Research project are:
To build the capacity of 100% of Healthcare Workers in the ANC, Delivery, Immunization and Paediatric OPD to provide high quality EIBF and EBF counselling services to pregnant women and women with children 0-6 months based on the main elements of WHO’s BFHI guidelines.

• To reach 80% of pregnant women and women with children 0-6 months with high quality Knowledge and Skills on EIBF and EBF counselling services based on the main elements of WHO’s BFHI guidelines.
• To reach 80% of pregnant women and women with children 0-6 months with high quality phone messages on the benefits and how to practice of EIBF and EBF based on the main elements of WHO’s BFHI guidelines.
• To reach 60% of fathers, grandmothers and mothers-in-law with high quality messages on the benefits of EIBF and EBF and how they can support the mother based on the main elements of WHO’s BFHI guidelines.

In a bid to achieve the goals and objectives of the IR by June 2020, 10 private health facilities were supported to deliver a package of high quality breastfeeding support services and ensure integration of these services within services provided at the selected facilities.

The Alive & Thrive IR project enabled EHAI to contribute towards achievement of SDGs 2 and 3.