Maternal and Child Health Sees Progress With IDB Initiative

A Regional Health Initiative led by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is driving change in maternal, neonatal, and child healthcare for low-income women, children, and adolescents in seven Central American countries and the Mexican state of Chiapas.

Salud Mesoamérica Initiative (SMI) is a partnership between the IDB, national governments in Mesoamerica, and private and public donors, including the Carlos Slim Foundation, Gates Foundation, and the governments of Spain and Canada. SMI’s objective is to enhance maternal and child healthcare services in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Chiapas, Mexico. “The Salud Mesoamérica Initiative accelerated improvements in maternal and neonatal care at twice the usual rate seen in low and middle-income countries,” said Ilan Goldfajn, President, IDB. 

An independent impact evaluation by NORC at the University of Chicago found that the initiative increased the proportion of newborns receiving quality care nearly fivefold and improved comprehensive emergency neonatal care (by 14%), including vital signs monitoring, oxygen administration, and antibiotic treatment.  SMI contributed to improvements in prenatal care and services associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care, key factors in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in the region, reports NORC. 

According to BID, the following countries saw significant results:

• In Belize, the proportion of mothers and newborns receiving quality care for obstetric and neonatal complications doubled.

• In Chiapas, Mexico, the percentage of women giving birth in healthcare facilities increased from 37% to 48%, along with improvements in prenatal and postpartum care.

• In El Salvador, the rate of institutional births attended by qualified personnel rose to 98%, and quality care for newborns with complications increased from 6% to 40%.

• In Costa Rica, adolescent pregnancy rates declined by 11.3% in the country’s poorest districts, surpassing reductions observed in wealthier areas.

This initiative made use of a systematic collection of healthcare data, allowing participating countries to establish healthcare indicators for underserved regions. "The development of positive incentives and outcome measurement has been fundamental to ensuring that this model not only achieves its objectives but is also sustainable and replicable," highlighted Marco Antonio Slim Domit, Carlos Slim Foundation. 

“Mesoamerica reminds us that development gains are fragile unless they are intentional, equity-focused, and sustained. Salud Mesoamérica has demonstrated a different way forward,” added Christopher J. Elias, President of Global Development, Gates Foundation.