A New Tool for Measuring Facility-Level Infection Prevention and Control and the Impact on Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) in a Humanitarian Setting

To lower incidence of hospital-acquired infections, a minimum threshold for nosocomial infection prevention control (IPC) and an adaptable tool for measuring precautions are critical to improving maternal and neonatal mortality. To improve IPC across IRC-supported health facilities globally, the IRC adapted the World Health Organization (WHO)/United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) WASH FIT tool to capture and evaluate standard IPC measures, flag issues for action, and monitor improvements to identify best practices.

Improving the Management of Obstetric Emergencies in the Fragile Context of Gao, Mali 

In Mali, despite decades of health system strengthening efforts, maternal, neonatal, and infant mortality remain alarming at 325/100,000 live births, 33/1,000 live births, and 101/1,000 live births, respectively. In Gao, MOMENTUM Integrated Health Resilience, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), improves the provision of emergency obstetric and neonatal care (EmONC) by focusing on strengthening the capacity of maternity health care providers.

Improving Referral Outcomes in Eastern Uganda through a Social Media Digital Platform 

In March 2021, the Serere Health Center IV quality improvement (QI) team observed that they received referrals from lower facilities without prior notification, ambulance movements were uncoordinated, and appropriate pre-referral treatments were not administered to mothers. This contributed to eight avoidable maternal and perinatal deaths from June to December 2020.