An affordable generic drug stops postpartum hemorrhage. Thousands of women's lives can be saved by making it available to traditional midwives through market distribution in developing countries.
Each year, more than 340,000 women die in pregnancy and childbirth. 99% of these deaths are in developing countries and hemorrhage is the most common cause worldwide. Bleeding can be controlled in a clinic, but our projects are the first to show traditional midwives can save a woman’s life in her home, where most births take place. This is also where most maternal deaths occur in the developing world--well beyond the reach of hospitals and government health services.
We support demonstration studies with traditional midwives; co-sponsor government policy meetings; train doctors and midwives to use misoprostol; and develop market distribution for the drug to be available in pharmacies & clinics nationwide
The project is uniquely scalable and sustainable. With this drug, traditional midwives get their first effective technology to reduce maternal deaths. Low-cost distribution will ensure widespread access.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
