Reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Ethiopia: a need for renewed commitment of faith-based health initiatives?

The maternal and neonatal mortality rates remain high in the second most populous nation in Africa. Unfortunately, the role of Christian missionary health work in Ethiopia has declined, and the challenge is to revitalize this essential aspect of the work. Our previous mission health work found that targeted, well-implemented interventions, such as decentralizing Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC) and improving healthcare infrastructure, can substantially enhance maternal and neonatal health, even in resource-limited settings. However, it is challenging for faith-based organizations to run large-scale programs, and this paper outlines ideas for enhancing the delivery of maternal and child health services to smaller, but well-defined populations. This paper uses experiences from Ethiopia to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths, primarily by offering essential obstetric care near the homes of women. The work began in mission hospitals and gradually expanded to involve close collaboration with local and regional health authorities. The aim was to improve the coverage of maternal and neonatal services in the population. The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) funded the work. While such a work has definite advantages and has improved the health of the populations, one could raise the question of whether mission- and church-based institutions should instead focus on smaller catchment areas. By doing so, they can sustain their work and maintain their core Christian values for more extended periods. Furthermore, the paper discusses the sustainability of church-based health work, examining it in a context where larger funding organizations are beginning to withdraw their support. The paper places this within the framework of Christian missionary work, which also encompasses a spiritual dimension.