Improving Access to Maternal Health Commodities Through a Systems Approach: Where Are We Now?

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By: Beth Yeager, Principal Technical Advisor, Management Sciences for Health & Chair, Maternal Health Supplies Caucus, Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition

Nearly three years ago, I blogged about a systems approach to improving access for a Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) series on maternal health commodities. It was an exciting year for maternal health. The UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children (UNCoLSC) had just released its report with 10 recommendations for improving access to 13 priority commodities that included 3 for maternal health: oxytocin, misoprostol and magnesium sulfate. Since then, great progress has been made in identifying the bottlenecks to access, raising awareness of the complexity of addressing these challenges and increasing global commitment to ending preventable maternal deaths as part of the post-2015 development agenda… read more

Making Connections: Ensuring Access to Reproductive and Maternal Health Supplies

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By: Shafia Rashid, Senior Program Officer, Global Advocacy, Family Care International

The past ten years have witnessed impressive gains in the availability and use of reproductive health supplies like condoms and oral contraceptives that allow men and women to safely and effectively prevent or space pregnancies. As a result of concerted efforts by many partners, contraceptive prevalence rates have risen over 60% in countries around the world.

These dramatic successes in improving access to reproductive health supplies can shed important lessons and guidance for those working to ensure that life-saving maternal health medicines — including, oxytocin, misoprostol and magnesium sulfate — are available to all women, when they need them and wherever they give birth. These medicines, which can save lives by preventing or treating the leading causes of maternal death, remain out of reach for many women, particularly for poor, rural, indigenous and other vulnerable women. Many countries lack clear, supportive policies and adequate budgets to make essential maternal health medicines widely available, or have weak supply chains and logistical systems. Inadequate regulatory capacity, poor quality of medicines and lack of information and guidance on correct use are other barriers to access. But new tools can help change this… read more

How to Train Providers Where Maternal Mortality is Highest

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By: Atziri Ramírez Negrin, Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research

In Mexico, maternal mortality continues to be a public health problem. Throughout the country, the burden of maternal mortality varies greatly between different locations. The three states with the highest maternal mortality ratio are Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. The main causes of maternal mortality continue to be hypertensive pregnancy disorders and postpartum haemorrhage. In order to help meet the needs of these underserved and high-burdened states… read more