maternal and child health

By Maura Christopher, American College of Nurse-Midwives Imagine being a novice midwife in rural Zambia. You’re working in a peripheral health center in a remote area where you are the only health worker. You are totally alone except for a cleaner and a guard. You regularly confront emergency...

By Enock Mnyenyembe, White Ribbon Alliance. Malawi Introduction by Elena Ateva, White Ribbon Alliance. The vital contributions of midwifery for women and newborns to survive and thrive is well recognized. The 2014 Lancet Series on Midwifery proved the case for a renewed commitment to midwifery that...

By Melissa Wanda Kirowo, FCI Program of Management Sciences for Health This post was originally published in the FCI program of MSH blog Rights and Realities At Women Deliver 2016 conference in May, I had the opportunity to talk with one of a number of young midwives attending the conference...

By Maeve Halpin, IntraHealth International "If we can empower frontline health workers, we empower women, we empower families, and we empower the whole community.” -- Dr. Marjorie Makukula, Lecturer at the Department of Nursing, School of Medicine, University of Zambia COPENHAGEN – Sunday night...

By Stembile Mugore, IntraHealth International Olga Richardson—Ritchie, as we fondly called her—was my supervisor and mentor when I was a newly qualified midwife. And she taught by example. She reminded us over and over that compassion and empathy are two of the most important characteristics of...

By Sarah Alexander, Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS) Did you read the recent column by Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times, “ The World’s Modern-Day Lepers: Women with Fistulas?” He shared the story of Marima, an Ethiopian woman who developed an obstetric fistula...

by Nicole Brown, Global Social Service Workforce Alliance We’ve all heard the phrase “It takes a village to raise a child.” This phrase rings true when applied in the context of comprehensive care – health workers and social service workers, community leaders, neighbors and parents coming together...

By Naomi Kalemba , Jhpiego Mwanipela Village, Malawi — “I was very concerned,” the mother said, keeping an eye on her twin sons playing beside her. “I thought I was going to die from this disease, and I was concerned that my babies would die too.” Eliza Kayange wasn’t talking about something...

Oftentimes training for frontline health workers focuses on clinical or leadership skills, but support to private providers for business development can also improve health worker productivity and performance. Sister Hellen Nkojo, a retired midwife at the Nightingale Domiciliary in the Kabarole district in Uganda, is a case in point.

By Narcisse Naia Embeke, Management Sciences for Health Credit: Warren Zelman. I grew up in a village in northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and although I’m now a doctor and live in Kinshasa, I remember those days well. I know what it’s like to live 23 kilometers from the nearest...