MedGlobal is sending a group of medical professionals from the United States and Canada, who are experts in their field, to train in the areas of Pediatrics, Adult & OB medicine and will be donating all training equipment as well as portable Butterfly Ultrasounds (which attach to a tablet or smartphone).
Over the last year, MedGlobal made large efforts in creating a program to ensure a long-term and sustainable impact on Pakistan’s most urgent needs. These are four reasons that the organization is embarking on this vital journey to Pakistan.
1. Pakistan suffers from a lack of resources, particularly in rural areas.
According to the United Nations’ Human Development Index, Pakistan ranks 150 out of 189 countries in the world – well below average for other countries in the South Asian region. While strides have been made in development, the effects have not equally impacted all areas of the country, with a particular lack of resources in rural areas. [1]
2. Disproportionate access to medical care between urban and rural communities
There is currently less than 1 doctor for every 1,000 patients in Pakistan, with a disproportionate lack of coverage of medical care in rural communities. In rural areas, there are disparities in healthcare delivery and an imbalance in the health workforce, with insufficient health managers, nurses, paramedics and skilled birth attendants in rural areas. [2]
3. Infant Mortality amongst the highest in the world
Pakistan ranks near the top 10% infant mortality rate in the world with 61 deaths per 1,000 live births. The main causes of neonatal deaths in 2015 were 39.3% prematurity, 20.9% birth asphyxia, and trauma and 17.2% sepsis.
Lack of access to health care and facilities is hindering proper care for thousands of infants in the country, specifically in rural areas. 26% of women in rural areas made at least 4 antenatal care visits, compared to 62% of women in urban areas. 44% of births in rural areas are covered by skilled attendants, compared to 71% in urban areas. 9% of newborns in rural areas receive postnatal care within 2 days after birth, a significant contrast to the 52% in urban areas. [3]
4. Lack of antenatal care for pregnant women
Proper antenatal care significantly decreases maternal and neonatal mortality. Less than 40% of women in Pakistan receive the recommended minimum antenatal care of at least 4 doctor’s office visits during pregnancy. Some causes for lack of coverage and low quality are the distances to facilities, lack of facility resources, and staff availability.
MedGlobal’s Response
Creating Master Trainers for Helping Babies Breathe, a course developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics
Together with the Indus Health Network, the MedGlobal team will provide training to 50 participants in Helping Babies Breathe, with a focus on providing certification as Master Trainers and Facilitators.
This training is done in a Train-the-Trainer model, where new Master Trainers and Facilitators will be certified to teach providers throughout the country.
Adult and Perinatal Ultrasound Training to rural healthcare professionals
The ultrasound courses will take place in low-resource settings and will target up to 30 participants. They will be training on basic diagnosis and managing of life-threatening illnesses, as well as the use of hand-held portable ultrasounds. This state-of-the-art technology, called the Butterfly Ultrasound, helps save lives all over the world.
MedGlobal will provide point-of-care ultrasound probes after the training to regions with the greatest need. All trainees participating in the training courses will also be provided with training in Empathy.
Your generous support will help make this mission a success. MedGlobal plans to repeat these missions 2-3 times a year in Pakistan. Donate today!
Sources:
[1] UNDP, Human Development Reports, Pakistan, 2018
[2] WHO, Country Cooperation Strategies and Briefs, 2017
[3] UNICEF, UNICEF Data: Monitoring the situation of children and women, Pakistan, 2018
[4] NCBI, PMC, Coverage and Quality of Antenatal Care Provided at Primary Health Care Facilities in the ‘Punjab’ Province of ‘Pakistan’