In South Sudan, less than half of births are attended by a skilled birth attendant. To address this gap and strengthen the healthcare workforce, USAID's MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience (MIHR) partnered with Laerdal Global Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the South Sudan Ministry of Health, and the South Sudan Nurses and Midwives Association (SSNAMA). The aim was to improve access to training using a blended (remote and in-person) learning approach for delivery of the Essential Newborn Care (ENC) course.

The program includes a blended Training of Trainers (TOT), a cascade model for training to healthcare providers by master trainers at their local facilities, and continuous remote mentoring. The Learning Improvement and Facilitation Tool (LIFT), developed by LGH, is a digital tool enabling real-time scoring and feedback during trainings. LIFT was utilized for conducting ENC 1 assessments, including knowledge checks and skill evaluations, and for generating reports to identify gaps, guide training adjustments, and monitor program impact. To enhance sustainability,facilitators and mentors received customized mentorship from AAP global mentors, using the CRISP package.

MOMENTUM’s recently published technical brief summarizes the blended training program's methods and outcomes, emphasizing the potential of remote and in-person learning in difficult environments. Feedback from both facilitators and trainees was positive, advocating for the expansion of the program. The use of digital and online facilitation was deemed an effective training methodology for ENC. Overall, the blended ENC course, including mentoring following the training, was a successful approach in a fragile setting such as South Sudan. Results suggest improved knowledge and skills in providing ENC services, as demonstrated by the post-training performance, particularly in high-volume health facilities.