MacArthur commits $11 million to further UCSF work in mater...(a community-developed communication and ...),Health

It is important to address postpartum hemorrhage wherever there is the potential for it to occur, from the community up through the health system, said Dan Pellegrom, president of Pathfinder International. Prevention and management starts in homes and communities, so it is important to cultivate informed and engaged communities that are aware of the danger signs of hemorrhaging and can transport women to skilled service providers.

The current funding builds upon nearly $2 million in previous MacArthur grants to UCSF for preliminary pilot studies of the anti-shock garment in Egypt, Mexico and Nigeria. Fanton, from MacArthur, said the introduction of the garment on a large-scale could help save hundreds of thousands of lives and help strengthen national health care systems.

No other major cause of maternal death can be prevented as easily as postpartum hemorrhage, Fanton said. Our hope is that the anti-shock garment will eventually become part of a standard package of care for postpartum hemorrhage in developing countries.

Miller and her team will continue a rigorous NIH funded randomized cluster trial of the garment in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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