IntraHealth International

IntraHealth International is a non-profit organization that enables health workers to better serve communities in need around the world. We promote a holistic focus on maternal health, which includes promotion of family planning, antenatal care, birth preparedness, skilled birth attendance (SBA) and postpartum care and care of the newborn. Our primary focus countries for maternal health work are currently Mali, Senegal, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Armenia, and India. Our work, funded by USAID, has involved a range of activities including policy development (in Mali, Rwanda, Senegal, India, and Armenia); advocacy for task-shifting and the use of misoprostol (India, Mali, Senegal, and Armenia); program implementation including SBA curricula development, training, supplies, health information system changes, quality assurance and supervision; scale-up (Mali, Senegal and one state in India); and research (Mali and Senegal). Prevention and management of postpartum hemorrhage is a focus within SBA training and service delivery. This includes training and ensuring quality implementation of the active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL) using a context appropriate uterotonic; in most countries, this is misoprostol. 

Results from selected countries

Country	Senegal	Mali	Rwanda	Ethiopia	India
Roles	IntraHealth (lead), Population Council (M&E)	Abt (lead), IntraHealth (training/supervision)	IntraHealth	IntraHealth (lead + sub  for Fistula), Engenderhealth (lead for Fistula)	IntraHealth
Location	7 regions	35 districts, national advocacy	15 districts, national	5 regions	State of Jharkhand
Results	Providers  trained; AMTSL routinely provided; new record keeping system installed (AMTSL added to national health management information system)	Providers  trained (100% of health centers; 60% of community health centers);  AMTSL routinely provided; new cadre approved  (matrons, or nursing assistants)	Providers  trained; AMTSL at health center level; AMTSL routinely provided; PPH in national policy	Providers  trained; AMTSL at health center level	SBAs trained, misoprostol available at health sub-centers; AMTSL routinely provided

IntraHealth is a leader in developing and implementing innovative, effective strategies to save women's and children's lives. IntraHealth key approaches include:

• Strengthening the skills and performance of health workers at labor and delivery
• Training and supporting health workers to perform active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL), a proven practice to prevent postpartum hemorrhage, the leading cause of maternal death
• Educating communities to support women and infants through healthy pregnancies, safe births, and postpartum periods.

 

For more information, visit IntraHealth’s website.