Advancing the Evidence-Base of the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Reproductive Health: Using a Quality Improvement Approach in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Led by the International Medical Corps, URC and other partnering organizations will identify ways to bridge the gap between evidence and practice by integrating a quality improvement (QI) approach in the implementation of the maternal and newborn health (MNH) components of the MISP and comprehensive SRH in North Kivu, DRC. 

URC will provide technical assistance in the design and implementation of QI activities. URC will take the lead in training in quality improvement, with additional training on coaching for IMC and zonal staff. Ongoing technical assistance will be provided to the staff as they support facility level improvement teams and facilitate sharing sessions between facilities. 

The anticipated short-term outcomes of the research include the following:

1. The establishment of a baseline on the availability, utilization, and quality of care components of the MISP and comprehensive SRH will have an immediate impact on programming decisions in the facilities and will drive improvement efforts over the length of the research.
2. Enhancing services will yield improvements in accessibility and quality of health services. Greater accessibility of care saves money because pregnancy and newborn complications will be identified in earlier stages, reducing the need for emergency interventions. Improved quality of care will ultimately lead to increased health seeking behaviors among women.