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10th anniversary Mbale’s world class maternal and neonatal research centre

The Sanyu Africa Research Centre (SAfRI) is a world-class research centre that focuses on maternal and newborn health. Since being registered ten years ago, it is going from strength to strength. Origins The founding organisations for SAfRI were the Ministry of Health, Uganda; Makerere University; Busitema University; Mbale Regional Referral Hospital; and the University of Liverpool in the UK. It is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its registration this month.…

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India Birth Network: applications open

Applications now open for global maternal health research event: Translating research into practice – India Birth Network 21-22 January 2022 Macdonald Kilhey Court Hotel, Wigan (Accommodation and meals are fully funded for two nights) Maternal health researchers wanting to develop their research skills, make nurse-midwife and doctor research links and network with peers and mentors, are invited to the India Birth Network’s first face-to-face meeting on 21-22 January 2022 in…

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Recruiting mothers for research: Ugandan midwife Brendah Nambozo

Brendah Nambozo is research midwife based in the Kolonyi district of eastern Uganda. She is part of the BabyGel study, which is using locally sourced sugar cane hygiene gel to see if it reduces newborn infections and deaths. Brenda shares her experience of recruiting mothers. “Last month the research team were devastated when a mother died of a ruptured uterus. The team had spent time to persuade her to attend…

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Hidden cost of COVID: keeping life saving research on track

  A hidden cost of COVID-19: knocking life-saving research and solutions off course Every two minutes a woman dies somewhere in the world from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth 94% of all maternal deaths occur in low and lower middle-income countries In 2019, 1 birth in every 16 seconds were stillborn   Two friends and early career researchers, passionate about global maternal and new-born health have joined together…

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Launch of first ever global maternal & new-born health podcast

The SanyuSisters

Two friends and early career researchers, passionate about global maternal and new-born health have joined together to unite researchers across the world through the first podcast of its kind “SanyuSisters Podcast” The presenters, or sisters, are Dr Teesta Dey and Dr Amber Wilson, both obstetrics trainees in the North West and passionate, enthusiastic early career researchers at the Sanyu Research Unit  which is based at the University of Liverpool’s Department…

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Abiola Aiyenigba

We were devastated to hear of Abiola’s death this week. Having first come to the University of Liverpool’s Sanyu Research Unit in 2013 not long after it launched, she was an important part of the unit’s development. Doing her PhD part-time meant that she was a constant over 6 years as other short term students came and went. And she was always quick to offer them friendship and support. When…

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Respect in childbirth: speak carefully, words matter

Maternity specialists are being encouraged to change the language they use in front of mothers to have a positive impact on the birth experience. A new video, filmed at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, is promoting better use of language. You can see the full film below. Consultant obstetrician Professor Andrew Weeks said: “Words such as hemorrhage, fetal distress, membrane rupture may be common for medics but they conjure up quite terrifying…

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Device developed in Liverpool could help thousands of mums who bleed after childbirth

The PPH Butterfly: first aid for bleeding after childbirth New device welcomed by patients and clinicians  A new device developed by doctors from Liverpool could help thousands of women who experience severe bleeding after childbirth. Each year around 50,000 women worldwide die from a postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) – around one every ten minutes. In England and Wales, greater access to drugs and immediate medical care means the impacts are usually…

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Invention could save hundreds of thousands of babies’ lives

Andrew Weeks & Kathy Burgoine with the BabySaver Tray in Uganda

Hundreds of thousands of babies’ lives could be saved in developing countries each year thanks to a game-changing invention by a UK doctor in partnership with Ugandan colleagues. The BabySaver, developed by Professor Andrew Weeks, a consultant obstetrician from Liverpool, is a simple plastic unit where babies can be resuscitated without having to separate them from their mothers. It costs under £40 ($50) a fraction of the price of traditional…

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Multi-million boost to help halt new born infections

Hands cupping a newborn baby's foot

A study into reducing new born deaths and infections in developing countries has received a €5.9million (£5.2m/$6.7m) boost today to encourage use of a life-saving hygiene gel made from sugar cane. In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 12 children will die before their 5th birthday, with infection the most common cause. The European Developing Countries Trials Partnership announced the grant to prevent newborn infections in Uganda.  The project, led by the…

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