With funding from Comic Relief’s ‘Fighting Malaria, Improving Health’ in partnership with Glaxo Smith and Klein (GSK), ARHR implemented the Bridging Gaps; Innovate for Malaria (B4M) Project in four districts in the Western Region from 2017 to 2021. The initiative empowered communities to demand better services; and hold service providers accountable for improved malaria services toward better outcomes and within a stronger PHC system.
Over the project period, notable changes occurred in the lives of about 64,800 pregnant women of reproductive age, children under five years, men, and adolescents. Results from an end-line survey showed that 50% of respondents knew that access to health care was a right and should be demanded compared to 20% before the commencement of the project in 2017.
The end-line survey also noted an increase in the percentage of pregnant women who took medication for malaria prevention in pregnancy by 42.91%, from 45% in 2017 to 87.91% in 2020. Almost 80% knew the recommended number of times it should be taken against 3% in 2017.