The Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Initiative (MNCH) is a four and a half year (2008–2012) programme funded by the Government of Norway and implemented by DFID.

This £24 million programme aims to address the high maternal, neo-natal and child death rates in Northern Nigeria by improving the quality and availability of all maternal, newborn and child health services. MNCH is operational in three states in the North – Katsina,Yobe and Zamfara.

The MNCH programme works in an integrated approach with the existing PRRINN programme on a number of closely linked and inter-dependent outputs and activities. As a result, these two programmes (PRRINN and MNCH) are regarded to as a joint programme (PRRINN- MNCH) in the States they operate.

Our implementing partners in MNCH include Health Partners International (UK) and Save the Children (UK). Other associate partners are the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University (US), Liverpool Associates in Tropical Health (LATH) and Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria.

This project uses GRID as the prime Nigerian partner. GRID played the major role in establishing the Nigerian offices, sourcing and employing the Nigerian staff, and providing financial management (cross-cutting) backstopping across all the technical outputs of the programme. This has included setting up accounting systems within the health sector at all levels, and operationalising systems for ensuring sustainable drug supply at health facilities.