Maternal and Child Health Awareness Programmes Through Community Health Workers in Urban Cotonou, Benin: A Longitudinal Impact Evaluation

Urban Cotonou in Benin has a significant population that benefits from maternal and child health (MCH) awareness programmes delivered through community health workers (CHWs). Understanding the impact of these programmes is crucial for improving public health outcomes. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including surveys and qualitative interviews. Data were collected from a representative sample over two years, with baseline measurements taken at the start of the intervention. CHWs reported increased confidence in delivering MCH messages (mean increase by 25% compared to baseline). A significant proportion (60%) of mothers surveyed demonstrated improved knowledge on nutrition and hygiene practices. The longitudinal impact evaluation suggests that CHW-led programmes can effectively enhance maternal and child health awareness, contributing to better health outcomes in urban settings. Further research should explore the sustainability of these interventions over longer periods and consider scaling up successful components to broader populations. Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.