About Pathfinder
Pathfinder is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), committed to improving health-system performance measurably and sustainably through trusted local partnerships and gender-transformative strategies. Through partnering with governments and other national actors in more than 100 countries, Pathfinder works to strengthen access to and use of quality, equitable, integrated, gender responsive SRHR information and services, including ensuring continuity of health services during crises. With a focus on ensuring all people can access quality, equitable, affordable sexual and reproductive health services, Pathfinder's programs are designed to build responsive, resilient health systems that can weather overlapping crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict, climate-related emergencies, forced migration, and economic stress.
Pathfinder in action: emergency response and health system resilience
Pathfinder’s USAID Transform: Primary Health Care Activity strengthened Ethiopia’s health system, reaching 57 million people in five years (2017-2022) with health information and services and helping people access health care and other essential services during a conflict in the north of the country and the COVID-19 pandemic. Transform provided more than 15,000 humanitarian supplies to sites for internally displaced persons and health facilities and worked continuously to improve the management, performance, and sustainability of quality services delivered through the primary health care system. A strengthened health system will more likely withstand future emergencies and shocks.
Transform supported mobile health and nutrition teams to reach 327,475 women and children with family planning, maternal and child health services and link to psychosocial services at sites for internally displaced people. In addition, 1,369 health workers and relevant cadres were provided with gap-filling training on FP, basic emergency obstetric care, nutrition, YFS, GBV, and CBHI to restore essential services post-conflict. Meanwhile, 110 health facilities received medical equipment and supplies to restore health services in conflict-affected areas.
Pathfinder Ethiopia aligned plans with the Health Cluster targets, coordinating actors to maximize impact and avoid duplication of efforts. The team brought grassroots-level implementation challenges and needs to the Health Cluster's attention and contributed to the monthly bulletin by sharing reports and attending meetings.
Through the USAID Transform PHC project, Pathfinder supported critical emergency response gaps with the activation of the crisis modifier. The regional Public Health Emergency offices led and oversaw the implementation of the response thanks to project staff. The project supported the measles outbreak response in the Oromia, SNNPR, and Amhara regions and the cholera outbreak in SNNPR and Oromia. Support to internally displaced people was provided in Guji, Bale, East & West Hararge, and the Oromia region's East & West Wollega zones.
Additionally, Pathfinder supported the rehabilitation and restoration of health facilities affected by conflicts, reaching internally displaced women, children, and young people, and supported the Mobile Health and Nutrition Team (MHNT) to provide health and nutrition services in areas where access to healthcare is difficult. This included training of healthcare providers and procurement and distribution of various medical equipment and supplies with post-distribution follow-up and support.
Under the Ethiopia Health Cluster, as part of the Transform Initiative, Pathfinder worked on:
- COVID-19 prevention and response
- Mobile health and nutrition team establishment and support
- Training and orientations for healthcare managers, providers, and volunteers
- Commodity and equipment to health facilities (for COVID, restoration of essential health services post-conflict)
- Mental health and psychosocial support to healthcare providers
- Food and non-food items for internally displaced people
- Health emergency preparedness and response activities
- Health system strengthening
- Coordination of field-level support activities by partners
Pathfinder is currently a member of the Ethiopia Health Cluster SRH Technical Working Group and also works in the following Health Clusters: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Niger and Nigeria.
Health Cluster engagement
Member (2023 - present)