Ethiopia
Health
Updates from the Field - Teach Traditional Ethiopian Midwives to Save Lives
Updates from the FieldUpdates from the Field (or Progress Reports) on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.com by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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Recent Updates from the Field
- Aug 24, 2009 - First 250 of planned 600 traditional midwives trained to save mothers’ lives with misoprostol
- May 15, 2009 - Scaling-up community-level misoprostol
- Jan 8, 2009 - Traditional Midwives Integral to Safe Motherhood Success
- May 7, 2008 - Awareness campaign
- Oct 25, 2007 - Frontline health workers trained in misoprostol use throughout rural Ethiopia
- Sep 20, 2006 - Ethiopia plans misoprostol rollout for 24% of country
- Sep 20, 2006 - Early success in misoprostol training program
- May 18, 2006 - Ethiopia becomes 2nd country to approve misoprostol for PPH
First 250 of planned 600 traditional midwives trained to save mothers’ lives with misoprostol
By Emma Nesper - Communications Specialist, August 25, 2009 12:45 PM
A traditional midwife trained to provide misoprostol through our project recounted a story that is all too common in rural Ethiopia. She identified excessive blood loss in a woman who had just delivered her baby, but the woman’s family did not have money to send her to the hospital for additional care. By the time community members assembled enough money to transport her, it was too late. “If the solution [misoprostol] is at hand, we will work closely with health extension workers to save the lives of mothers,” the traditional midwife said.
Venture Strategies is successfully making misoprostol an essential component of safe childbirth for the millions of women who stand to benefit from access to the simple, low-cost tablet in Ethiopia. We are supporting the nurse-midwives association in training village-level health workers in the proper use of misoprostol to prevent excessive bleeding, or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), in home births, since nearly 94% of mothers deliver at home in Ethiopia. In June 2009, our project trained 250 of a planned 600 traditional midwives as well as 100 health extension workers, government-sponsored primary care providers.
This project is unique as it establishes linkages between Ethiopia’s government health providers and village-level traditional midwives by training both on misoprostol and how to work together more effectively to reach women and provide safe deliveries.
Our efforts to make these life-saving tablets available in communities are met by enthusiasm from health professionals at the higher levels who recognize the role of misoprostol in safe childbirth. By empowering traditional midwives and health extension workers in villages with the skills to properly use misoprostol for PPH prevention, we are contributing to a reduction in the number of mothers who must be referred to the already overburdened health facilities and therefore, the number of mothers who risk dying from a delay in receiving care.
We are encouraged by our progress towards reducing maternal deaths in Ethiopia and appreciate the support we receive from generous donors.
Venture Strategies is successfully making misoprostol an essential component of safe childbirth for the millions of women who stand to benefit from access to the simple, low-cost tablet in Ethiopia. We are supporting the nurse-midwives association in training village-level health workers in the proper use of misoprostol to prevent excessive bleeding, or postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), in home births, since nearly 94% of mothers deliver at home in Ethiopia. In June 2009, our project trained 250 of a planned 600 traditional midwives as well as 100 health extension workers, government-sponsored primary care providers.
This project is unique as it establishes linkages between Ethiopia’s government health providers and village-level traditional midwives by training both on misoprostol and how to work together more effectively to reach women and provide safe deliveries.
Our efforts to make these life-saving tablets available in communities are met by enthusiasm from health professionals at the higher levels who recognize the role of misoprostol in safe childbirth. By empowering traditional midwives and health extension workers in villages with the skills to properly use misoprostol for PPH prevention, we are contributing to a reduction in the number of mothers who must be referred to the already overburdened health facilities and therefore, the number of mothers who risk dying from a delay in receiving care.
We are encouraged by our progress towards reducing maternal deaths in Ethiopia and appreciate the support we receive from generous donors.
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Scaling-up community-level misoprostol
By Amy Grossman - Communications Manager, May 25, 2009 11:52 AM
Ethiopia is a global leader in involving community-level health workers in the use of misoprostol for safe delivery. In a country where 94% of mothers deliver at home, training traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to administer misoprostol to women to prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a key strategy for reducing deaths in childbirth. Since the completion of a Venture Strategies-supported program that trained the government’s rural, village-level health extension workers (HEWs) on misoprostol and demonstrated positive linkages between TBAs and HEWs, we are assisting many regions across Ethiopia in integrating misoprostol for PPH into their package of health services. In this scaling-up effort, nearly 2,000 additional health extension workers have been trained to use misoprostol and efforts are underway to train an additional 600 TBAs in the proper use of the life-saving tablets, while connecting them to the formal health care system. As these collaborations develop and more community-based health workers become skilled in administering misoprostol to manage PPH, women across the largely rural country are facing a diminished risk of dying in childbirth to the benefit of their children, families and entire communities.
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Traditional Midwives Integral to Safe Motherhood Success
By Amy Grossman - Communications Manager, January 08, 2009 04:33 PM
We have good news to report that Ethiopia is demonstrating global leadership in involving traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in the use of misoprostol for safe delivery. The endorsement of TBAs was spurred largely by the training of the government’s rural health extension workers on misoprostol that VS supported in four zones. A subsequent evaluation of that project documented positive results where TBAs and health extension workers were linked. Moreover our pioneering work with traditional midwives demonstrated that they could administer misoprostol safely to women after childbirth. Both projects demonstrate that these front-line health workers who operate in the most rural and underserved areas are the best means to deliver the life-saving misoprostol tablets to the women who need them most. The government is now moving ahead with plans to apply this health worker model to prevent maternal mortality from postpartum hemorrhage with misoprostol throughout the country.
Moreover, awareness on the importance of misoprostol has gained popularity among both the health care providers and the communities where misoprostol is being used. One head of a rural district health center had this to say to our program monitoring team, “Misoprostol has gained momentum so fast that women request for ‘the life saving drug which you have given to my neighbor when she delivered at your health center’. Referral for [complications of] postpartum hemorrhage has stopped [since we] started using misoprostol in the health center.”
Moreover, awareness on the importance of misoprostol has gained popularity among both the health care providers and the communities where misoprostol is being used. One head of a rural district health center had this to say to our program monitoring team, “Misoprostol has gained momentum so fast that women request for ‘the life saving drug which you have given to my neighbor when she delivered at your health center’. Referral for [complications of] postpartum hemorrhage has stopped [since we] started using misoprostol in the health center.”
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Awareness campaign
By Amy Grossman - VSHD launches “Misoprostol Day” in Ethiopia, May 07, 2008 05:57 PM
In February 2008, Misoprostol Day, an innovative and successful information, education and communication campaign, was held at the annual Women’s Association meeting in the remote region of Tigray. The purpose of the campaign was to engender dialogue among influential women about misoprostol and develop a means to increase availability of the life-saving tablets. Women immediately identified with the message of birth preparedness and misoprostol as a feasible option for their deliveries. The conference highlighted education and empowered women to understand how misoprostol works, its importance for preventing death from excessive bleeding after childbirth and where they will be able to obtain the tablets in the near future. The results of the VSHD-sponsored operations research study with misoprostol distributed by traditional birth attendants in Tigray were also presented.
More than 800 female delegates representing constituents from the regional to village level attended, including high ranking representatives from other women’s groups from SNNPR, Dire Dawa, Harar, and Addis Ababa regions. Mrs. Azeb Mesfin, wife of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia and chair of the Social Affairs Committee in Parliament, expressed her commitment to ensuring that misoprostol is available throughout the entire country and women understand how to use it.
Ethiopia is the first country in the world to engage women’s groups on a large scale for share the knowledge of postpartum hemorrhage and misoprostol. Since the initial launch in Tigray, VSHD has implemented a similar strategy in Ahmara, Dira Dawa and Harar regionals and additional campaigns are planned throughout Ethiopia, as well as in other countries.
More than 800 female delegates representing constituents from the regional to village level attended, including high ranking representatives from other women’s groups from SNNPR, Dire Dawa, Harar, and Addis Ababa regions. Mrs. Azeb Mesfin, wife of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia and chair of the Social Affairs Committee in Parliament, expressed her commitment to ensuring that misoprostol is available throughout the entire country and women understand how to use it.
Ethiopia is the first country in the world to engage women’s groups on a large scale for share the knowledge of postpartum hemorrhage and misoprostol. Since the initial launch in Tigray, VSHD has implemented a similar strategy in Ahmara, Dira Dawa and Harar regionals and additional campaigns are planned throughout Ethiopia, as well as in other countries.
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Frontline health workers trained in misoprostol use throughout rural Ethiopia
By Amy Grossman - Communications Manager, October 26, 2007 03:58 PM
In preparation for the expected regulatory approval of misoprostol for the control of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), Venture Strategies, with the Family Health Department of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and with our collaborating agency DKT-Ethiopia, has initiated trainings for the prevention of PPH by introducing misoprostol at the community level.
In December 2006, the Family Health Department, having recognized PPH as the major cause of maternal mortality in the country, initiated the project titled, “Misoprostol for the prevention of PPH at the community level.” A key project strategy targets training for the lowest level health care professionals in Ethiopia, the health extension worker, in an effort to meet the needs of the predominantly rural populations of Ethiopia.
As of May 2007, 128 heath extension workers and 29 nurse-midwife trainers representing 84 rural health posts throughout four regions of the country have been trained in the administration of oral misoprostol tablets to women during the third stage of labor to prevent PPH.
In December 2006, the Family Health Department, having recognized PPH as the major cause of maternal mortality in the country, initiated the project titled, “Misoprostol for the prevention of PPH at the community level.” A key project strategy targets training for the lowest level health care professionals in Ethiopia, the health extension worker, in an effort to meet the needs of the predominantly rural populations of Ethiopia.
As of May 2007, 128 heath extension workers and 29 nurse-midwife trainers representing 84 rural health posts throughout four regions of the country have been trained in the administration of oral misoprostol tablets to women during the third stage of labor to prevent PPH.
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Ethiopia plans misoprostol rollout for 24% of country
By Melodie Holden - Vice President, September 25, 2006 05:36 PM
The Ethiopian Ministry of Health, in response to overwhelming interest in making misoprostol available to stop deaths from postpartum hemorrhage, has started planning on a rollout covering 24%. Ethiopia is the second largest country in Africa, with 77 million people.
The program will include training of health care workers through the public sector, from hospitals to community health workers in rural villages. Monitoring and evaluation will be put in place in order to understand the appropriate level of access and distribution channels for a countrywide implementation.
Venture Strategies for Health and Development has helped to develop this project and will provide monitoring and evaluation throughout. We are pleased to be able to support the Ministry of Health in this historic endeavor for Ethiopian women.
The program will include training of health care workers through the public sector, from hospitals to community health workers in rural villages. Monitoring and evaluation will be put in place in order to understand the appropriate level of access and distribution channels for a countrywide implementation.
Venture Strategies for Health and Development has helped to develop this project and will provide monitoring and evaluation throughout. We are pleased to be able to support the Ministry of Health in this historic endeavor for Ethiopian women.
Want to support this project's continued work?
Early success in misoprostol training program
By Melodie Holden - Vice President, September 21, 2006 03:41 PM
In the spring of 2006, traditional midwives from the rural Tigray region of Ethiopia were trained to administer misoprostol to women after delivery during home births. The off-patent drug is used for controlling postpartum hemorrhage, the leading cause of maternal death.
By September 2006, the study had been implemented in over 100 births. Early results show that traditional midwives are capable of safely and effectively providing this life-saving drug to their clients.
The Ethiopian doctor heading the study recently visited one of the villages where the drug was in use. As he arrived, he was surprised to be surrounded by women singing and dancing, a spontaneous welcome party. "We are so grateful to have this drug at home," they sang.
Venture Strategies is proud to be a part of this demonstration project with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health.
By September 2006, the study had been implemented in over 100 births. Early results show that traditional midwives are capable of safely and effectively providing this life-saving drug to their clients.
The Ethiopian doctor heading the study recently visited one of the villages where the drug was in use. As he arrived, he was surprised to be surrounded by women singing and dancing, a spontaneous welcome party. "We are so grateful to have this drug at home," they sang.
Venture Strategies is proud to be a part of this demonstration project with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health.
Want to support this project's continued work?
Ethiopia becomes 2nd country to approve misoprostol for PPH
By Venture Strategies for Health - , May 18, 2006 01:20 PM
Ethiopia has taken an historic step to become the second country in the world to approve an old drug, misoprostol, for a new use, controlling postpartum hemorrhage. Postpartum hemorrhage, life-threatening bleeding following childbirth, is the leading cause of maternal deaths worldwide.
Our non-profit organization, Venture Strategies for Health and Development, worked with UC Berkeley's School of Public Health to help the Ethiopian Ministry of Health obtain this regulatory approval. Now the drug will be imported and made available for saving the lives of the approximately 8,200 Ethiopian women who die each year from this condition.
Our team helped Nigeria become the first country to obtain a similar regulatory approval in January.
Venture Strategies for Health and Development and UC Berkeley will continue to assist the Ethiopian Ministry of Health develop their rollout of misoprostol throughout the country with specific focus on distribution to rural areas.
Our nonprofit organization works to improve the health of low income people in resource-poor settings, by making use of existing market forces around the world. We are providing policy, medical, and distribution strategy support to several countries evaluating the introduction of misoprostol to save mothers' lives. By facilitating South-South trade, we help countries obtain high-quality low-cost health products from generic manufacturers, at their request.
If you would like to read more about our misoprostol projects and related publications, we invite you to see our web site.
Our non-profit organization, Venture Strategies for Health and Development, worked with UC Berkeley's School of Public Health to help the Ethiopian Ministry of Health obtain this regulatory approval. Now the drug will be imported and made available for saving the lives of the approximately 8,200 Ethiopian women who die each year from this condition.
Our team helped Nigeria become the first country to obtain a similar regulatory approval in January.
Venture Strategies for Health and Development and UC Berkeley will continue to assist the Ethiopian Ministry of Health develop their rollout of misoprostol throughout the country with specific focus on distribution to rural areas.
Our nonprofit organization works to improve the health of low income people in resource-poor settings, by making use of existing market forces around the world. We are providing policy, medical, and distribution strategy support to several countries evaluating the introduction of misoprostol to save mothers' lives. By facilitating South-South trade, we help countries obtain high-quality low-cost health products from generic manufacturers, at their request.
If you would like to read more about our misoprostol projects and related publications, we invite you to see our web site.
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