About Us
March 8 Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center is dedicated to providing comprehensive and compassionate healthcare services to mothers and children. Our center strives to promote their overall well-being, ensuring safe deliveries, supporting the postpartum period, and offering specialized care for gynecologic conditions. With a commitment to excellence, we prioritize the health and development of children through vaccination programs and provide family planning services. Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, our highly skilled team delivers exceptional care with dignity and compassion. At March 8 MCH Center, we are dedicated to improving the lives of women and children through comprehensive healthcare.
Objective
The objective of March 8 MCH Center focuses on the reduction of preventable maternal and perinatal deaths among disadvantaged and marginalized women in the Tigray region through the provision of tailored individualized and standardized life-saving and life-changing healthcare services during the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum periods.
Location/Setting
The center is located in the Hawelti Subcity of Mekelle, strategically positioned to ensure patients are not exposed to busy or noisy neighborhoods. This location also enhances patient privacy. The building, originally designed as a hospital, covers 1000 square meters and is rented to the March 8 MCH Center by its owner. The facility features spacious and well-constructed rooms, including an operating theater, 25 inpatient beds on the ground floor, an outpatient clinic, a pharmacy, and a laboratory.
Vision
Our vision is to see a fair and just healthcare system in the world that leaves no woman behind regardless of her socioeconomic status or geographic location.
Mission
Our mission is to provide life-saving, life-changing interventions to mothers located in either historically or geographically disadvantaged, marginalized, or hard-to-reach communities.
Beneficiaries
March 8 MCH Center provides life-saving, life-changing comprehensive and holistic care to a specific group of women selected on demographic, historical, economic, or other factors preventing them from accessing high-quality affordable care. These groups of women include but are not limited to:
- Teenage
- Single expectant mothers
- Displaced women
- Destitute women
- Mothers suffering from complications of neglected and obstructed labor such as those who have fistula and obstetric trauma-related incontinence.
- Women with a physical disability
- Women with mental and psychiatric disorders
Scope
The centre provides the best maternity care possible in the region. It provides medical and psychosocial support to women starting from the first point of contact during pregnancy till the 42nd postpartum day. It also provides a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care including but not limited to: family planning, contraception, comprehensive abortion care, prevention and management of STI including HIV, precancerous gynecologic screening and well woman care. Limited to the scope of practice and license to the specialist doctors to be hired, the center provides all minor and major obstetrics and gynecology procedures.
Success of March 8 MCH Center
The Stat Says It All
March 8 MCH Center provides comprehensive sexual, reproductive, and maternity care. To ensure accessibility for every woman, the Center offers its services either for free or at a highly subsidized cost. Through this initiative, the Center has provided the following services and is still counting:
970
Total Registered Clients
2,381
Total Client Visits(Including Repeat Visits)
121
Major Procedures
1,483
Obstetric and Pelvic Ultrasound
66
Sexual and Reproductive Health(SRH) Services
Partners
Our Services
Comprehensive antenatal care
We provide thorough prenatal care, including routine check-ups, risk assessments, and necessary interventions to ensure the health and well-being of expectant mothers and their unborn babies.
Intrapartum care including normal delivery, operative delivery, and Cesarean Delivery
Our center is equipped to handle all aspects of childbirth, from normal deliveries to operative deliveries and Cesarean sections, ensuring the safe arrival of newborns.
Postpartum care
We prioritize the care and support of mothers during the critical postpartum period, addressing their physical and emotional needs to facilitate a smooth recovery.
Vaccination and immunisation
Our center offers a full range of vaccination and immunization services to protect children against various infectious diseases, promoting their overall health and development.
Family planning
We provide comprehensive family planning services, including counseling, contraceptive options, and education to empower individuals and couples in making informed decisions about their reproductive health.
Screening and treatment of Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Our center offers prompt screening and comprehensive treatment for STIs, ensuring the sexual and reproductive health of our patients.
In-patient services
We have dedicated in-patient facilities to accommodate patients requiring extended medical care, ensuring they receive continuous and personalized attention.
Screening for genital malignancies
Our center offers comprehensive screening services for the early detection of genital cancers, empowering patients to take proactive measures for their health.
Complete laboratory
Our state-of-the-art laboratory is equipped to conduct a wide range of diagnostic tests, enabling timely and accurate assessments to guide patient care.
Gynecologic surgeries for benign and malignant conditions
We have the expertise and resources to perform a variety of gynecologic surgeries, addressing both benign and malignant conditions to restore the health and well-being of our patients.
Complete pharmacy services
We have a fully-stocked pharmacy that provides patients with access to essential medications and pharmacological guidance, ensuring seamless continuity of care.
Pediatric Services
March 8 Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center offers a comprehensive range of integrated healthcare services to cater to the diverse needs of mothers and children.
Meet Our Founders
Dr. Hale Teka, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, is a dedicated researcher and women’s health advocate. After successfully implementing the Recovery Through Outreach (RecTOR) project, he co-founded the March 8 MCH Center. Dr. Hale, along with Dr. Douglas Hawthorn and other colleagues, provided specialized care in remote areas during the devastating civil war by supporting specialist doctors and their residents.
Dr. Douglas Hawthorn, a doctor of medicine and successful businessman from the United Kingdom, is passionate about delivering life-saving and transformative interventions in remote, hard-to-reach areas. He currently supports projects in Sierra Leone and Ethiopia. At present, he fully supports the March 8 MCH Center through his charitable organization, Maternal Health Africa. Dr. Douglas co-founded the March 8 MCH Center.
Our Management Team
Mr. Zinabu Teka
Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Samrawit Hadgu
Accountant
Mr. Gebretsadkan Gebrehiwot
Nursing Director
TESTIMONIALS
Voices of Satisfaction: Hear What Our Clients Have to Say!
“The quality of care I have received here has been excellent. I am deeply grateful for March 8 MCH Center. Because of their support and encouragement, I had a normal delivery.”
Mrs. Tsega Tadesse
Mother
“It is a privilege to witness that March 8 Maternal & Childhealth Center is playing a significant role in improving maternal health in the community, specially for those disadvantaged and marginalized mothers.”
Mrs. Abeba Haileselassie
Chair, Women Association of Tigray
“Thanks to March 8 MCH Center, mothers will now be able to receive comfortable and comprehensive care which they rightfully deserve. The center will reduce the maternal and neonatal mortality rates.”
Mrs. Kedija Abdulrahman
Safe-Motherhood Training Participant
“Notably, this center is providing free services for those who cannot afford including individuals sheltered in the IDP camps. I am personally happy. Providing free services to mothers is really a significant undertaking.”
Rigbe Abrha
Chair, Women Association of Tigray, Mekelle
“The March 8 MCH Center is a newly established. Despite its recent inception, the creation of this center is already providing to be an inspiring development that is making a meaningful difference in the community.”
Ato Samson Yemane
Tigray Bureau of Health
BLOG
Latest Posts, Insights and Articles
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Dr. Amanuel Haile, TRHB Head Visited March 8 MCH Center
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We are pleased to have the honour of hosting Dr Amanuel Haile, the Head of the Bureau of Health at our center. A tour around the center and an explanation of the services provided was made by the March 8…
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Mrs Sally Keeble, Women’s Rights Advocate Visits March 8 MCH Center
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Sally Keeble, a former member of the UK parliament visited March 8 MCH Center. We are very grateful for taking her time to pay a visit to our center. Sally is know for supporting and advocating for women’s rights, standing…
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Certificate of Recognition
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We are really honored to receive certificate of recognition for our participation in the Tigray Health Exhibition – ጥዕና ኤግዚቢሽን ትግራይ. All reactions: 24ከም ኬፈይ, Guesh Zenebe AL and 22 others
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March 8 MCH Center at Tigray Health Exhibition
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Our Center participating at the Tigray Health Exhibition – ጥዕና ኤግዚቢሽን ትግራይ prepared by Tigray Medical Association. Thank you TMA for the opportunity.
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Free Ultrasound Scanning
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March 8 MCH Center – ማእኸል ሕክምና ኣዴታትን ህፃናትን ማርች 8 በቢ ግዚኡ ን50 ኣዴታት ነፃ ግልጋሎት ክትትል ጥንሲ፥ ምውላድን፥ ክትትል ድሕረ ወሊድን እናሃበ ከምዝርከብ ይፍለጥ። ሕዚ ድማ ቅንያት ኣሸንዳ ምኽንያት ብምግባር፥ ንኹለን ነፍሰ-ፁር ኣዴታት ነፃ ግልጋሎት ኣልትራሳውንድ ከምእንህብ ክንሕብር…
