Health, Population and Nutrition

The Challenge

A woman provides health information
We strive to provide the necessary information and tools for healthy habits and choices

Madagascar faces many challenges in reaching its health goals. Health services are inadequate and not broadly available. Health personnel are unevenly distributed. Drug and medical supplies are prone to stock outs and are unavailable in some areas. Administration of the public health system is weak. The country’s resources and services are stretched because over 60 percent of the population lives more than 5km from a health center, often in very remote and difficult to reach areas. In addition, development is undermined by high rates of illiteracy, gender inequity, and economic disparity. The latest challenge is a recent unconstitutional transfer of government which further strains public services and threatens recently gained social and economic progress.

USAID Response

USAID's health program builds upon the last decade’s successes, such as the notable decline in child mortality, and continues to focus upon increasing the quality, availability, and demand for health services.

The USAID Health Program focuses on improving the quality and access to health services in the following areas: the prevention and treatment of malaria; the improvement of maternal, child and infant health; the prevention and treatment of child and infant diarrhea and pneumonia; the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and diseases, including HIV/AIDS; and family planning and reproductive health. USAID Madagascar works hard at training and engaging community health workers to promote the management of health services at the community level. We also engage with the private sector.

Furthermore, USAID water and sanitation programs allow communities to have access to drinkable water and adequate sanitation infrastructure.  Our malaria program, the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), works in conjunction with other international and local partners to support proven approaches to preventing and treating malaria, and has had significant success to date.  The effectiveness and extent of our health activities are reinforced by our multi-sectorial collaboration with the USAID Food Security Program, whose work improves nutrition and food security of vulnerable families.  Our partners provide training in the field and respond to cases of food crises and/or emergency assistance.

Most of our programs are integrated with one another and reinforce each other to provide higher quality assistance to the people of Madagascar.