15-21 May 2015 – UNFPA and LDS (Latter-day Saints) Charities have jointly organized a five-day training session for midwives on post-partum hemorrhage. Almost 200 midwives from all regions of Uzbekistan benefited from the intensive ‘Helping Mothers Survive’ training that took place at the Republican Perinatal Centre.
Within its Reproductive Health and Rights component, UNFPA has been focusing on strengthening the capacity of the health care system in Uzbekistan, so that it is able to provide high-quality services in the area of maternal and reproductive health. In recent years, the Fund has supported training of thousands of healthcare providers, including midwives, on different aspects of reproductive health and rights. The training on postpartum hemorrhage was made possible thanks to UNFPA’s partnership with the Ministry of Health and LDS Charities, which is not resident in the country.
LDS Charities, a US-based philanthropic organization, aims to help people throughout the world with maternal and newborn care as one of their signature programs. In the past 30 years, LDS Charities also assisted refugees—donating food, shelter, medical supplies, clothing, and other items.
‘Helping Mothers Survive’ is a comparatively new program for LDS which until recently focused mainly on neonatal resuscitation through its ‘Helping Babies Breathe’ educational programs. Developed by JHPIEGO (international non-profit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University), the program aims to provide a comprehensive set of skills for prevention and treatment of post-partum hemorrhage, a condition that still accounts for approximately one fourth of maternal deaths worldwide.
The training program was successfully piloted in Tajikistan in June last year. LDS Charities generously responded to UNFPA’s request to jointly organize it here in Uzbekistan as well. The five-day training covered around 200 obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives, of which 20 will become master trainers ready to conduct training sessions at their facilities.
In addition to contributing the expertise of three top-notch trainers, LDS Charities has provided all training materials, as well as special birthing simulators called MamaNatalie – a mannequin that assists the trainees in mastering births and post-delivery hemorrhage treatment. In total, 65 MamaNatalies total worth over USD 11,000 were supplied to Uzbekistan, for future distribution among some 25 facilities. UNFPA has negotiated with the Ministry of Health to arrange training venue and to organize participants.
Dr. Larry Warner, one of LDS trainers and a prominent obstetrician-gynecologist from USA started his session wearing MamaNatalie simulator. He imitated a complicated delivery, where the ‘mother’ bleeds heavily and then dies. “It is sad, and it still happens in many parts of the world, - says Dr. Warner, - These deaths can be prevented, with the adequate facilities and skilled birth attendants. We are hopeful that today’s training session will further help you in your noble work of saving mothers’ lives in Uzbekistan”.
“This is a great opportunity to further improve my skills, - says Shakhnoza, training participant and a midwife at one of the city’s birthing facilities, - Practice makes perfect, and one day of this program is worth a week of lectures”.
The training is an example of successful partnership initiative of UNFPA and LDS Charities as part of their shared commitment to strengthen and support the skills of medical personnel in maternal and newborn health.
