Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Logo

 

Recent blog posts

more

Newsletter Update on Human Resources for Maternal Survival: Task-Shifting to Non-Physician Clinicians

Posted on Jun 03 2010

Human Resources for Maternal Survival: Task-Shifting to Non-Physician Clinicians was a landmark conference – held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from June 29 –July 2, 2009 – that brought together 350 health professionals, government officials, and development partners representing 42 countries, including 29 from sub- Saharan Africa.

Participants gathered to examine and share innovative approaches to addressing the human resource gap in the delivery of lifesaving emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), focusing on non-physician clinicians (NPCs) as an integral part of a health care team with midwives and other professionals.

Ministers from these 29 African countries developed a joint Call to Action to support and expand human resources for maternal survival. NPCs are counting on us to realize this commitment to support them as they work to reduce maternal mortality worldwide. Human Resources for Maternal Survival: Task- Shifting to Non-Physician Clinicians was jointly organized by the Averting Maternal Death and Disability Program (AMDD), the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Health, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Since the conference, AMDD has worked alongside a number of partners at both national and global levels in various sub-Saharan African countries in efforts to actualize the Call to Action. Activities have included directing attention to strengthening both pre-service and in-service training of NPCs, bringing new research evidence to support the use and performance of NPCs in the field, advocating for NPCs as part of a team of skilled providers necessary to reduce maternal mortality, and supporting national Ministries of Health as they consider task-shifting as one strategy to address the human resource crisis for maternal survival.

An overview of these activities is presented in this Newsletter, and AMDD is committed to continuing this work as a core part of strengthening health systems to save the lives of mothers and their newborns worldwide.

Our work is urgent

  • Over 7 million pregnancy-related deaths, including maternal deaths, newborn deaths, and stillbirths happen each year. That’s 50% more than the annual deaths from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined.
  • 99% of maternal deaths occur in developing countries.
  • 75% of maternal deaths can be prevented by skilled health care providers backed up by emergency obstetric care (EmOC).
  • We have until 2015 to reduce maternal deaths by 75% to meet Millennium Development Goal 5. We can’t do this without strong health systems that ensure universal access to EmOC.