LDI:REACH project leads on knowledge-sharing to improve effective coverage of maternal health interventions

FIGO member society congresses and conferences serve as a powerful platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration and driving innovation – all crucial aspects of FIGO’s LDI:REACH programme.

As the programme continues to work on improving effective coverage of maternal health interventions in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan, we look back at some programme activities that have sensitised and educated OBGYN and other health care professionals attending national conferences over the past year.

Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Pakistan (SOGP) National Scientific Conference, 23 – 25 June 2023

*Plenary session on ‘Leadership Development Initiative’ at the SOGP National Scientific Conference 2023.*

Plenary session on ‘Leadership Development Initiative’, 1,000+ attendees. Prof. Azizunnisa Abbasi, President of SOGP, introduced the LDI:REACH programme and discussed strategies to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR). Discussions highlighted the need for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) to be addressed by all health care professionals and the need for PPH and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) related drugs to be available and part of the essential medicine list, and early patient identification and referral of patients.
Plenary session on Nurses and Midwifery, 1,100+attendees. The session aimed to update knowledge of nurses and midwives, focusing on their role in reducing Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) and teaching balloon tamponade skills. Discussions covered antenatal care and screening of high/low risk pregnancy, safe delivery, first aid of obstetrical emergencies and proper referrals.
Session on reducing MMR, 300 attendees. Aimed at knowledge sharing and raising awareness, presentations covered PPH, PIH, and Eclampsia diagnosis, prevention and management.

Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) Annual General Meeting, 20 – 25 November 2023

Attended by approximately 400 persons, the SOGON AGM held several plenary sessions on topics such as the importance of E-MOTIVE for managing PPH or the management of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia.

All India Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 6- 10 January 2024

Figure 2: Orientation and training session on the LDI:REACH programme for FOGSI leaders and members at the 66th All India Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2024. — *: Orientation and training session on the LDI:REACH programme for FOGSI leaders and members at the 66th All India Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2024.*

Session on Leadership Development Initiative, 40 attendees. Orientation and training of FOGSI leaders and members on leadership, E-MOTIVE for PPH, and anaemia. Prof Kihara Anne-Beatrice, FIGO President, spoke on leadership, while Dr Kiranmai Devineni and Dr Vinita Singh spoke on E-MOTIVE and anaemia respectively.
Session on management of PPH, 250 attendees. Orientation session on PPH and its management. Speakers presented on tranexamic acid, carbetocin, compression sutures and stepwise devascularisation. Prof Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran chaired the session, summarised the way forward, and answered technical questions from the audience.
Three additional sessions focused on PPH and its management, 200+ attendees. Topics covered the WHO PPH Roadmap, practical approaches to prevent PPH based on recent evidence and collaborative efforts by FOGSI and FIGO to address PPH challenges towards achieving SDG 2030. LDI:REACH also held an orientation session at the FOGSI Presidential Conference FEMMTEK-IV (25 – 26 November 2023) for leaders and members. Open to all attendees, the session sparked interest and motivation, with participants keen to use the education materials for team training.

Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS) Annual Scientific Congress, 12 - 16 February 2024

Figure 1: Anya, FIGO Gender Specialist, presenting insights on ‘Gender and Power in Women’s Health Leadership: Mapping the Drivers and Barriers’ at the 48th KOGS Annual Scientific Congress. — *Anya, FIGO Gender Specialist, presenting insights on ‘Gender and Power in Women’s Health Leadership: Mapping the Drivers and Barriers’.*

Leadership Mastery Workshop, 40+ attendees. The workshop explored effective leadership strategies, featuring breakout sessions, role-play exercises and real-world scenario applications. Attendees reflected on key learnings and strategies for implementing results-based leadership within their practice.
Plenary session on ‘Gender and Power in Women’s Health Leadership: Mapping the Drivers and Barriers’, 400 attendees. Anya Metzer, FIGO Gender Specialist, delved into the multifaceted aspects of gender and power in women’s health leadership, mapping out key factors in shaping these dynamics as well as opportunities to address them. Eunice Atsali, Secretary of Midwives Association of Kenya, provided insights from a midwifery perspective, exploring the gender dynamics and inequities within maternal healthcare. The session highlighted the crucial need to promote gender equity for improved healthcare outcomes for everyone.

Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Bangladesh (OGSB) 32nd International Scientific Conference, 15 – 17 February 2024

Figure 4: Junior OBGYN leader sharing her insights on overcoming barriers in maternal health service through leadership at the panel discussion on ‘Leadership Development Initiative’ during the 32nd International Scientific Conference & 50th AGM of Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Bangladesh. — *Junior OBGYN leader sharing her insights on overcoming barriers in maternal health service through leadership at the panel discussion on ‘Leadership Development Initiative’.*

Plenary session on ‘Striving to Reach SDG in Women’s Health’, 500 attendees. Prof. Ferdousi Begum, Immediate Past President of OGSB, presented on “Achieving SDG 3” by exploring strategies to reduce maternal mortality, reviewing of current trends, identifying causes of maternal mortality and leadership development among OBGYNs. Prof. Farhana Dewan, President of OGSB, focused on PPH and efforts to meet the SDG target by 2030.
Panel discussion held on ‘Leadership Development Initiative’, 119 attendees. The session featured a presentation by keynote speaker Prof Zakir Hussain, LDI:REACH consultant for Bangladesh, focusing on leadership development for young gynaecologists. The session covered discussion topics such as gender, the importance of leadership development within primary and secondary health care institutions, leadership in managing emergencies and raising social awareness about antenatal care.

Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) Annual Conference, 16-20 February 2024

Figure 7: "I think the most important thing in leadership is grooming networks…you can walk fast and walk alone, but you can go far if you move together." Prof. Kihara Anne-Beatrice, FIGO President, delivering the keynote speech during the plenary session on ‘Leadership in Women’s Health towards Reducing Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality: The Role of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as Leaders’ at the 32nd Annual Conference of the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. — *Prof Kihara Anne-Beatrice, FIGO President, delivering the keynote speech during the plenary session on ‘Leadership in Women’s Health towards Reducing Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality.*

Plenary session on ‘Leadership in Women’s Health towards Reducing Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality: The Role of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as Leaders’, 400+ attendees. The session aimed to explore ways to enhance maternal and newborn health outcomes by addressing barriers to the effective utilisation of evidence-based interventions through leadership development, gender equity, advocacy, and communication.
Presentation on LDI:REACH programme, 250+ attendees. Dr. Gelane Lelissa Merechi, Immediate Past Vice-President of ESOG, provided an overview of ESOG’s pivotal role in designing and implementing national policies and strategies related to maternal health and SRHR, and outlined the strategic approach and objectives of the LDI:REACH programme.
Poster presentations given on the E-MOTIVE bundle approach and Antenatal Corticosteroids Use in Preterm Birth. Clinical guidelines and job aids posters were also shared with participants.

We look forward to continue collaborating with partners and colleagues to identify barriers to the roll out of effective maternal health interventions on postpartum haemorrhage, severe pre-eclampsia, preterm birth and iron-deficiency anaemia. Together, we will work towards removing and reducing identified barriers through advocacy and leadership, with a focus on gender equity.