Fear of the anti-abortion lobby partly to blame for delayed action on stillbirths

A much-needed series on stillbirths exposes the true scale of the deaths of babies in the last weeks of pregnancy and in labour. This should have been a global health issue long ago, but general neglect was compounded by fear of fuelling the controversy over the viability of the foetus.

Get men in the delivery room, say Bangladesh’s first midwives

Bangladesh

One-in-500 women die in childbirth in Bangladesh – with cultural factors as much to blame as a lack of medical care.

Afghan midwives deliver life-saving birth education

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous places in the world to have a child. Women face a one-in-11 risk of dying during pregnancy and childbirth, while one in five children dies during or after birth or before the age of five. One initiative is under way to try to make giving birth safer.

Midwives can cut deaths in childbirth, but there aren’t enough of them

The world needs 350,000 more midwives, says Save the Children, which is calling for more training and education on the importance of their role in saving lives

Nepal – City slum dwellers’ health condition appalling

Nepal

A recent survey in Nepal has revealed that many women living in slum areas of Kathmandu are either unaware of it or reluctant to benefit from free birth services.

Nursing the vulnerable newborn

South Africa

An example of how nursing provides the backbone of healthcare — and how it can be part of a model for best practice — comes from Limpopo.

Pakistan: Government to hire 300,000 additional lady health workers

Pakistan

Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly Shehla Raza announced on Wednesday that the government will increase the number of its Lady Health Workers by three hundred thousand in order to provide better healthcare to the poor masses as opposed to firing people for failing to do so.

HCI announces contest for Best Improvement Report – Submit yours and win a trip to Washington DC

 Submit your health care Improvement Reports and win a trip to present at this year’s Global Health Council!

Society for Clinical Trials Selects India’s “Jharkhand and Orissa” trial as “Trial of the Year”

India

The Ekjut Trial in Jharkhand and Orissa earns recognition as "Trial of the Year" – After three years of the intervention, neonatal mortality was reduced by 45% and maternal depression by 57%.

Pampers and UNICEF aim to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in Yemen

Yemen

Pampers is once again joining hands with UNICEF in their fight to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in Yemen. The global campaign, 1 Pack = 1 Life saving Vaccine has already helped protect 100 million women and their babies from MNT since 2006.