Thanks

Brandi and Scott arrived last week. Brandi Vasquez is, as far as I know, THE first, official Global Health Resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology…..EVER. Thanks are due to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Hubert Yeargan Center for Global Health, the Duke Global Health Institute, the Blue Jean Ball Committee (and BJB donors!) and Covidien HealthCare for making our presence and work here possible. They have accepted the challenge to support global women’s health on a level previously uncommon if not unheard of at other institutions. Special thanks also goes out to Stryker Surgical and Cardinal Health for their very generous donations to our work here.

Women’s health has languished in the corner of the Global Health house for too long. The Safe Motherhood Initiative has been labeled an “orphan initiative”. Women’s health care has largely taken a back seat to other pressing issues such as HIV. Very little improvements in maternal healthcare have been realized in sub-Saharan Africa in the last 15 years and we are far from on track to reach Millenium Development Goal number 5 of a 75% reduction in maternal mortality by 2015.

“No Woman Should Die Giving Life”.

A nice little saying that warms the heart, but has done nothing to save the lives of millions of the poorest and most under-represented women on earth.

“Since the human race began, women have delivered for society. It is time now for the world to deliver for women.”
Another little feel-good dittie that has gone nowhere. When will this “time” be that mothers are valued enough to prevent their untimely death at the moment when life seems most precious?

Thanks to the generous donations of many of you, we are planning to hold the first combined Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics and Neonatal Resuscitation Courses in a referral hospital in Tanzania on November 3-12. Improvement in emergency obstetric care is the third of three core health-sector strategies designed to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. We are all excited about the prospects for disseminating this information and technology locally and regionally. Thanks to all who have seen us through to this point and who continue to support us.