Maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality numbers remain unacceptably high in many places in the world. Over the last three years, the Global Action in Nursing (GAIN) team at IGHS has been working in Liberia, Malawi and Sierra Leone to prevent death and disability during childbirth by focusing on midwives and nurses caring for women during birth. Through partnerships with GAIA Global Health and Partners In Health, GAIN has provided training and year-long clinical mentorship to hundreds of nurses and midwives with impressive results. Reductions in stillbirth rates, better outcomes for women suffering from post-partum hemorrhage, and more efficient referral systems are just a few areas where GAIN’s impact has already been seen.
The Wyss Medical Foundation began funding GAIN in 2019, providing support for expert midwives to mentor new graduates and providers in remote areas, scholarships to help build capacity in nursing, and funding for nurses and midwives to upgrade their education. Wyss’s support also helped GAIN interrupt COVD-19 transmissions at its sites. The renewed funding will continue supporting critical training as well as monitoring and evaluation efforts in all three partner country sites. GAIN is now working to sustain all activities locally and, with the support from the Wyss Medical Foundation, looks forward to seeing progress for years to come.