Jhpiego’s Leslie Mancuso on African maternal mortality

In the third part of our deeper dive into GE’s sixth annual Citizenship Report — which was launched on Tuesday — we turn to the tough issue of maternal mortality in the 14 “orphaned countries” of sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing on an array of non-GE voices represented in the report, Part 1 of our series focused on water use in the mining industry while Part 2 put the spotlight on environmental, health and safety training in China. Today we hear from Leslie Mancuso, president and CEO of Jhpiego, an international health non-profit affiliated with Johns Hopkins University. As Leslie writes in her essay: “No woman should die giving life. Unfortunately, it happens every day in the developing world.”

Where it counts: Through its Developing Health Globally program, GE is working with 11 hospital projects in Ghana alone. The hospitals are rural facilities serving communities with around 200,000 people — who may live up to a few days’ walk from a hospital.

“Women throughout Africa, where we have worked for more than 35 years, are dying from conditions and complications of child birth that are easily treated in America, Europe and other developed countries,” Leslie writes. “Nearly half a million women across the globe bleed to death after giving birth or perish from infection or die in delivery because trained health care workers aren’t by their side. Some women are more at risk because they live in countries of Africa that have been forgotten: Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and a dozen other nations have among the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality and lowest life expectancy even though fewer of their citizens are infected with HIV/AIDS.”

Leslie Mancuso, PhD, RN, FAAN, works with front-line health workers to design and implement low-cost, hands-on solutions and services for women and their families.

“The 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa command neither the attention of policy makers or aid dollars that could change the lives of women and children, secure the future of families and sustain communities. The reasons vary — population, political leadership, language barriers, international oversight. Sadly, the result is the same. When a mother’s health is compromised, the health of her children and family suffer too.”

“A survey by our organization found that the health of residents in the 14 countries is far worse than that of people living in the 29 dominant African countries. As orphaned countries, the 14 receive less than half in per capita U.S. government aid dollars for health programs than do the African countries favored by donors — 86 cents compared to $3.95.”

“Can corporate America help resolve this unacceptable disparity?

“Through its Developing Health Globally project, a commitment to improve hospitals and clinics in 10 African countries, GE has recognized the enormous need on the continent. The health concerns of women and children, however, often begin before they ever enter a hospital. Companies should support programs that promote healthy pregnancies and newborn deliveries, develop low-cost, evidence-based diagnostic and treatment tools for use in countries that have neither the resources or infrastructure to support high-tech systems and train health care practitioners who deliver this much-needed care despite great odds.

“Dr. Blami Dao is one such professional. He is a dean at a medical school in Burkina Faso, one of the 14 orphaned countries. An early participant in Jhpiego-sponsored training in emergency obstetrical care, Dr. Dao used his skills to teach general practitioners in his country to do Caesarean sections. This cross-training enabled many more pregnant women in Burkina Faso to have access to this life-saving procedure. Today, his teaching hospital is affiliated with 30 maternity clinics and more than a dozen countries use it as a training center for physicians. Supporting a master trainer like Dr. Dao is an investment that pays life-saving dividends and reaches across borders….”

Baby talk: In February, the GE Foundation began working with Ashoka, the global network of leading social entrepreneurs, to identify and map solutions aimed at improving maternal and infant health around the world.

Learn more in these GE Reports stories:
* “Robert Harrison on China’s EHS Academy: Scale is key”
* “Responsibility snapshot: 6th Citizenship Report debuts”
* “Citizen GE: Linking sustainability to public trust”
* “Healthcare in Africa: A closer look at Ghana”
* “Making an impact: GE’s medical aid in Abeche, Chad”
* “Helping 101 babies & counting in Cambodia’s hospitals”
* “Making rural healthcare exponentially more effective”
* “Hey baby! GE donates $8M for UK maternal hospital”

* View the Citizenship Report and the re-launched website at ge.com/citizenship
* Read Leslie’s comments during last May’s healthymagination conference
* Learn more about the Developing Health Globally program