A project to improve the health of mothers and babies in one region of the country identified an urgent need for continuing professional development for nurses and midwives. Carol Anne Carson and Angela Khonyongwa report

There is a chronic shortage of healthcare workers in Malawi, a country that has one of the highest maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the world. Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) recognises that continuing professional development (CPD) can play a role in improving the services health practitioners can provide and improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. The Ntcheu Integrated Maternal Health Project, supported by VSO, was established with the aim of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality rates in Ntcheu district by 2015.

This article outlines the effect that CPD has had in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes in the areas covered by the project. This was achieved by providing education and training for nurses and volunteers which has built capacity within the health service and community and led to an increased uptake of services and an improved quality of service.