Strong PATH presence at Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference

From October 18 to 21, more than a dozen PATH staff will participate in the first Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference in Mexico City. The conference provides a unique platform to share research and experience with global colleagues, highlight PATH's leadership in health innovation and introduction, spark new collaboration, and help shape the emerging global agenda for maternal and newborn health.

Hosted by the Government of Mexico, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other sponsors, the conference is the first-ever global conference dedicated to maternal and newborn health.

It comes at a crucial crossroads for the global health community. In the last two decades, tremendous progress in maternal, newborn, and child health has positioned the world to achieve unprecedented gains. Now, as leaders reach the 2015 deadline for the global Millennium Development Goals, we have a new opportunity for coordinated, evidence-based action.

The conference brings the maternal and newborn health communities together to determine the best strategies to meet post-2015 global goals, including achieving the new vision set by the Sustainable Development goals.

PATH will bring a robust presence to the conference. Staff from across the organization will share the science, evidence, and impact of PATH's work to improve maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition worldwide. This includes 15 presentations, posters, and panels, as well as several auxiliary events.

PATH will also highlight the impact of our approach, including cross-organizational collaboration, public-private partnership, community and country ownership, and work across the "value chain"–from early development of technologies to introduction and scale.

Topics include lessons from PATH's introduction and scale of chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care to prevent life-threatening sepsis and cord infections; PATH's work to create national policy environments in Kenya and Uganda that supports expanded efforts to combat malaria among pregnant women; and PATH's collaborative work to help leaders in South Africa, India, and other countries increase babies' access to lifesaving human breast milk.

PATH will host several special auxiliary events, including:

• The global Chlorhexidine Working Group, led by PATH, will host a roundtable meeting on planning for implementation and scale of chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care, which includes the opportunity to gain practical knowledge from other experts in their region.
• As a member of the Latin American Caribbean (LAC) Neonatal Alliance, Regional Taskforce for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality, PATH will present on the pursuit of maternal, neonatal, and child health equity in the Americas. Click here to learn more about LAC Neonatal Alliance.
• USAID and PATH will cosponsor a discussion on "How are we ending preventable child and maternal deaths?" The event will feature maternal and newborn health technology innovations from the PATH/USAID HealthTech program.

Staff will also disseminate key publications at the conference, including the Innovation Countdown 2030 report and a new brief featuring our Maternal, Newborn, Child Health, and Nutrition Program.

• Visit the website of the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference.
• Follow PATH conference participants on Twitter: @PATHtweets.
• Learn more about our work in maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition and health technologies for women and children.

Posted on October 16, 2015.