Improvement of Healthcare Infrastructure in Developing Countries
Provision of Health Improvement Program for Mothers and Children
Since July 2016, Sumitomo Pharma provides an NPO-led health improvement program for mothers and children in Cambodia’s Kampong Cham Province by NPO People's Hope Japan. The Company is engaged in initiatives to promote health checkups for infants and pregnant women, regular education and training on nutrition and hygiene, and home-visit childcare support in collaboration with NPOs, local governments, local health centers, and communities.
We have provided hygiene and nutrition education for Community Care volunteers for Mothers and Newborns (CCMNs), including COVID-19 infection control measures, and developed baby food recipes together with volunteers for the mothers or caregivers in each village to practice preparing. Sixty-six of the mother and child healthcare volunteers we have trained to date are now working in the field.
In fiscal 2022, the program made 863 home visits to pregnant women and 487 home visits to postpartum mothers, promoted health checks for pregnant women, postpartum mothers and infants, and raised awareness about nutrition and hygiene. In addition, cooking classes for making nutritious baby food were held 43 times, with a total of 1,315 local residents participating.
| Year | Trained CCMNs | Conducted home visits | Held cooking workshops | Supported capacity and tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 15 | 202 visits (antenatal 95, postnatal 107) | 3 workshops, 93 participants | Original textbook to train CCMNs |
| 2018 | 19 | 154 visits (antenatal 91, postnatal 63) | 3 workshops, 93 participants | Original anime-textbook for local mothers (nutrition, healthy growth, dental health) |
| 2019 | 55 | 648 visits (antenatal 350, postnatal 298) | 5 workshops, 124 participants | Bicycles for CCMNs |
| 2020 | 2 | 867 visits (antenatal 467, postnatal 470) | 11 workshops, 310 participants | COVID-19 educational posters and pamphlets, masks, disinfectant solution |
| 2021 | 5 | 1,061 visits (antenatal 591, postnatal 470) | 33 workshops, 691 participants | Original anime-textbook for local mothers (nutrition, healthy growth, dental health) |
| 2022 | 39 | 1,350 visits (antenatal 863, postnatal 487) | 43 workshops, 1,315 participants | Development of baby food recipes for children under 2 years, nutrition training for health center staff, education on nutrition and cooking practice for local residents |
Ministry of Health staff training nutrition to health center staff
Baby food cooking practice and education on nutrition for children under 2 years