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An adult lifting a baby and smiling down at them.
Gina Ishmael

Global maternal and newborn health platform

The Global Maternal and Newborn Health Platform aims to improve care given to mothers and newborn babies. It will do this by collecting data on the care provided to women as well as asking women about their experiences. This information will be used to work with governments and service providers to develop and implement ways to improve the quality of care offered to women. 

Every woman's birth experience is unique. Ideally a hospital can provide childbirth and early newborn care that is safe and best meets the needs of women. This can be challenging, particularly when resources are limited.

The Global Maternal and Newborn Health Platform connects 74 hospitals and clinics in 10 low- and middle-income countries across Asia and the Pacific region. Eventually, we aim to include 60 countries around the world.

Burnet is the coordinating institution for this project in the Asia-Pacific region.

 Visit the Global Maternal and Newborn Health Platform project website.

Data we will collect

We’re collecting data on more than 110,000 women and their newborns in 74 hospitals across the Asia-Pacific region. We’re asking more than 30,000 women about their care experiences during and after birth.

Hospitals are gathering data on the care provided to women and babies during and after childbirth, including: 

  • how well World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended childbirth, delivery and early postnatal practices are followed 

  • the health of mothers and newborns 

  • how women feel about the care they receive

  • healthcare providers’ work and their opinions 

  • facilities, medicines and equipment available in the hospitals  

  • local health policies.

Project outcomes 

This project will:

  • provide important information about childbirth and newborn care in hospitals

  • measure health outcomes that are important for global health goals including the Sustainable Development Goals

  • help raise awareness of and training in World Health Organisation guidelines

  • strengthen research skills at local and national levels. 

Partners

Funding partners

  • World Health Organization
  • United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Canada Aid, Canadian Government
  • Centre for Research Excellence on Stillbirth, Australia
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australia

Collaborators

  • University of Melbourne
  • Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy

Project contacts

Main contact

Dr Fiona Bruinsma

Dr Fiona Bruinsma

Senior Research Fellow
Fiona.bruinsma@burnet.edu.au
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Project team

Professor Joshua Vogel

Professor Joshua Vogel

Co-Program Director, Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health; Co-Head, Global Women’s and Newborn’s Health Group; Senior Principal Research Fellow
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Dr Fiona Bruinsma

Dr Fiona Bruinsma

Senior Research Fellow
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Professor Caroline Homer AO

Professor Caroline Homer AO

Deputy Director – Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; Co-Head, Global Women's and Newborn Health; Co-Head, Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening
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Dr Skandarupan Jayaratnam

Dr Skandarupan Jayaratnam

Casual Senior Research Fellow
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Long Nguyen

Long Nguyen

Data Manager
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Dr Salahuddin Ahmed

Dr Salahuddin Ahmed

Country Principal Investigator, Bangladesh
Projahnmo Research Foundation
Dr Litia Narube

Dr Litia Narube

Country Principal Investigator, Fiji
Fiji National University
Dr Detty Siti Nurdiati

Dr Detty Siti Nurdiati

Country Principal Investigator, Indonesia
Universitas Gadjah Mada
Dr Buyanjargal Yadamsuren

Dr Buyanjargal Yadamsuren

Country Principal Investigator, Mongolia
Mongolian Association of Family Medicine Specialists
Dr Sandesh Poudel

Dr Sandesh Poudel

Country Principal Investigator, Nepal
Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital
Professor Glen Mola

Professor Glen Mola

Country Principal Investigator, Papua New Guinea
University of Papua New Guinea
Dr Leeanne Panisi

Dr Leeanne Panisi

Country Principal Investigator, Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital
Professor Athula Kaluarachchi

Professor Athula Kaluarachchi

Country Principal Investigator, Sri Lanka
University of Colombo
Professor Tippawan Liabsuetrakul

Professor Tippawan Liabsuetrakul

Country Principal Investigator, Thailand
Prince of Songkla University
Dr Milena Dos Santos

Dr Milena Dos Santos

Country Principal Investigator, Timor-Leste
Guido Valadares National Hospital
Associate Professor Emily Karahalios

Associate Professor Emily Karahalios

Collaborator
University of Melbourne
Dr Veronica Pigray

Dr Veronica Pigray

Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Mabel Berrueta

Dr Mabel Berrueta

Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Rocío Rodríguez

Dr Rocío Rodríguez

Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Milagros Oberti

Dr Milagros Oberti

Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Sandra Formia

Sandra Formia

Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Álvaro Ciganda

Álvaro Ciganda

Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Tina Lavin

Dr Tina Lavin

Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Mercedes Bonet

Dr Mercedes Bonet

Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Olufemi Oladapo

Dr Olufemi Oladapo

Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Soe Soe Thwin

Dr Soe Soe Thwin

Collaborator
World Health Organization
Khurshed Nosirov

Khurshed Nosirov

Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Chandani Anoma Jayathilaka

Dr Chandani Anoma Jayathilaka

Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Shogo Kubota

Dr Shogo Kubota

Collaborator
World Health Organization
Anita Voloshin

Anita Voloshin

Research Assistant
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