Institute for Healthcare Improvement starts its journey in Bangladesh

Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), a USA-based international organisation,  launched its first development project in Bangladesh with Shimantik during an event at Lakeshore Hotel on Sunday.

The project titled, "Designing Maternal & Newborn Spaces for Quality of Care" focuses on quality healthcare services through built environment, said a press release. 

IHI believes that ensuring the center's design, location, and referral systems can enhance service utilisation for mothers and newborns across diverse communities and from underserved areas to avail standard and quality healthcare services.

Earlier, IHI started its work in Bangladesh in 2018 as part of a consortium. Its quality improvement in healthcare services component has driven a lot of attention within this sector and its work has been well accepted by the relevant stakeholders from the Bangladesh government, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, development partners, and professional bodies, the press release added. 

Following its success, the organisation started this new project in two countries - Ethiopia and Bangladesh simultaneously. For Bangladesh, it is implemented by IHI in partnership with MASS Design, icddr,b, and Shimantik, funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Its aim is to improve women's experience of care for which the project will help health policymakers decide how best to update healthcare centers in both these countries to improve quality of maternal and newborn care and provide a guide for the global Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) community to engage in the design and construction of MNH facilities to improve accessibility, utilisation, experience, and outcomes of MNH care and decrease maternal/neonatal mortality rates, the press release further added. 

The launching event was followed by an interactive discussion was attended by Professor Dr Mohammod Shahidullah, chairman, Department of Neonatology, BSMMU; President, Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) and Chairperson, NTWC NBH; and chief of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19; Prof Dr Nasima Sultana, additional director general, DGHS; and Dr Md Shamsul Haque, director, DGHS and Line Director on MNCAH, DGHS and other representatives from different health directorates, development partners and professional bodies.

IHI Bangladesh's country director Minara Chowdhury moderated the discussion.