Maternal and Newborn Study (MANEST): is an implementation research project aimed at learning how to integrate and scale-up interventions aimed at increasing access to institutional deliveries and care of complications through vouchers, and improving newborn care and uptake of PMTCT through home visits by Village Health Teams (VHTs), essentially community health workers, within the existing health system in Uganda. The project is a quasi-experimental study, implemented in three districts of Iganga, Luuka, and Buyende since 2012.

The project supported the three district health teams in selection, training, and supervision of 685 VHTs who dialogue with families and mothers for improved maternal and newborn care practices at community level through home visits and village meetings. Other study components include Health systems strengthening and improved physical access to institutionalized care through a transport voucher