EMERGENCY OBSTETRIC AND NEWBORN CARE (EmONC) and EMERGENCY TRIAGE TREATMENT (ETAT) TRAINING OF TRAINERS
1. BACKGROUND
Over the past three decades, maternal and newborn survival rates have improved globally. However, in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), newborn mortality rates remain among the highest in the world. In Lesotho, neonatal mortality stands at 26 deaths per 1,000 live births, with no significant improvement over the past decade. Additionally, the maternal mortality rate is alarmingly high at 566 deaths per 100,000 live births, while the stillbirth rate in 2021 was 27 deaths per 1,000 total births. Many of these deaths could have been prevented with improved quality care during childbirth, including better monitoring and timely access to emergency obstetric care when needed.
Like many other countries in the region, Lesotho faces high institutional mortality rates and stillbirths, as high-quality Maternal and Neonatal Health (MNH) services are not accessible to every mother and child. Historically, health care providers in Lesotho had limited opportunities for pre-service learning and lacked formal in-service training programs, with only sporadic initiatives supported by various partners. Post-training follow-up, mentoring, and continuous supportive supervision have also been inadequate and unstructured. To address these challenges, UNICEF, in partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began supporting Lesotho’s health system strengthening efforts through the capacity building of the health workers to improve the quality of maternal neonatal and child health services.
UNICEF works closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to enhance the availability of high-quality MNH care, focusing on increasing in-service training for health personnel and improving care within catchment-area-based
programs.
One of the key initiatives is the transformation of referral hospitals into learning hubs. This initiative aims to equip health care providers with the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the immediate and long-term needs of Basotho women and children. This includes establishing training hubs, setting up simulation centers, and implementing mentorship programs for health care providers in catchment areas. The Ministry of Health has already established one learning hub and a simulation center at the Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital (QMMH), the only tertiary institution in the country. Additionally, six simulation centers have been set up in two regional referral hospitals, as well as four other hospitals within their catchment areas.
Closing date: 10 July 2025