Increase the percentage of pregnang women with antenatal care uptake during the 1st trimester

The Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MOHSP) will coordinate implementation of the national antenatal care (ANC) guideline, which has a provision on ANC uptake per trimester: Mothers are supposed to attend eight ANC sessions. We first need to understand why women are not following the national guideline of attending eight ANC sessions. Based on that, social and behaviour change communication interventions will be developed and implemented. In addition, the national communication programme on the first 1000 days will be implemented to enhance knowledge and practice among mothers and supportive figures in the community. We will strengthen the role of mothers’ schools (mother support group) at the primary healthcare level, where pregnant women are provided with educational information related to their pregnancy.