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Safe Motherhood Program. University of California, San Francisco.

We are currently recruiting for the following position!

Copperbelt Program Manager

The Copperbelt Program Manager position exists to support the 5 local coordinators in the Copperbelt province of Zambia on a Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial (CRCT) for the Non-pneumatic Anti Shock Garment (NASG). The study, supported by NIH/NICHD and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is to demonstrate if the NASG saves the lives of women hemorrhaging in childbirth.  The candidate will be required to live full time in either Ndola or Kitwe, Zambia.  Duties include providing research, administrative and logistical support to the local study site coordinators, who, in turn, are responsible for the day-to-day on-site conduct of the study.  Duties would include all forms of clinical trial coordination for this hospital and clinic based study, including data form review for completeness and accuracy, case tracking, logistics and supplies, training coordinators and data collector/clinicians on clinical and study protocol adherence, completion of protocol violation and adverse event documentation, as well as mentoring and supervising student interns (medical, nursing, midwifery, and public health students). Once data collection is over the incumbent will be responsible for all site close-out activities.

 

This position is based full-time in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia.  The position is for 6 months with a possibility for extension dependent on receipt of additional funds. The incumbent will report directly to the Project Director in San Francisco and will work closely with 5 local coordinators, and the UCSF-Lusaka Program Manager and the other study team members in Lusaka, Zambia.

 

Master’s degree preferred. Experience in Africa or other developing country setting required.  Interested candidates should send a CV to Elizabeth Butrick at ebutrick@globalhealth.ucsf.edu or apply online at www.ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/careers/ click on ‘search openings’ then input req number 37112.

 

December 2011 Clinical Trial Update:

We are currently in the randomized control phase of the clinical trial with over 3000 women enrolled to date. Half the clinics are randomized to the NASG intervention, and all women receive the NASG at the referral hospital. For more details on the trial, please visit: clinicaltrials.gov.

Check out our new intern blog

Read the latest stories from our wonderful interns that generously give their time to the project in Zambia. A great resource for potential interns that want to get involved with the LifeWrap.

UCSF Safe Motherhood Program Wins People's Choice Award!

Thanks to everyone who voted, the Safe Motherhood Program collaborating with the ARMMAN team have won the People's Choice Award for their innovative and wildly popular project idea: Voice Messaging and Animation Service to Improve MCH Information Access in Rural India. The award was presented on July 28th at the final round of competitive proposals for Saving Lives at Birth: A Grand Challenge for Development.

 

New PMNCH Report

The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) has released a report on the commitments to the Global Strategy entitled "Analysing Commitments to the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health - The PMNCH 2011 Report".

 

Article about Suellen Miller from San Anselmo-Fairfax Patch:

Cinematographer and Midwife Travel World but Return to Marin

by Cynthia Pepper, March 2011

 

Suellen Miller interviewed by Forbes:

For The Price of Designer Jeans, A “Wetsuit” That Saves Lives

by Helen Coster, March 2011

 

 

Newsletters

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February 2011

New Copperbelt Coordinator

We are thrilled to announce that Kathleen McDonald has recently joined our team! Kathleen will be working in Kitwe in Ndola in the Copperbelt region of Zambia assisting the Regional Coordinator with the study. In the Copperbelt, we are working in 2 hospitals and 13 clinics. Both of the hospitals are treating patients with the LifeWrap, and half of the clinics are. Kathleen will be ensuring that all potential cases are caught and that the LifeWrap is used correctly. Weclome to the team Kathleen!

 

November 2010

Potential LifeWrap Research in the US!

Dr. Suellen Miller presented at a prestigious meeting in Delaware that brought together expert staff from four Universities interested in collaborating in areas of public health. Dr. Miller presented on the LifeWrap research to date and proposed research into its use domestically. These include use during delays in receiving definitive treatment for rural women or those who have complications requiring specialized staff or equipment which may take some time to arrive. The LifeWrap may reduce costs (in terms of number of transfusions and IVs, number of days spent in ICU and in hospital) as well as speed recovery. Her presentation was very well received and we are waiting to hear back about a potential grant that will enable us to investigate these opportunities.  

 

September 2010

Fantastic new training video!

Dr. Miller made a new training video on the Prevention & Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage with Pathfinder International. Watch here

 

Maternal Health Task Force Conference in Delhi, India!

Dr. Miller made two presentations on the LifeWrap at this a influential meeting hosted by Maternal Health task Force in India from August 30 - September 1. Click here to read more about MHTF and the conference.

July 2010

Intern, intern, interns!

We have been delighted that this summer, we have been able to place six interns in the Copperbelt province of Zambia! These talented people have been working for LifeWraps, assisting our project whilst gaining valuable work experience and re-affirming their passion for maternal health.

 

February 2010

Egypt Dissemination

Director, Dr. Suellen Miller and LifeWraps Project Director, Elizabeth Butrick were in Egypt this month to disseminate research findings alongside Egyptian colleagues Dr. Mohommed Mourad and Dr. Mohamed Fathalla. The meeting was well attended by a variety of dignitaries, decision makers, NGOs, and facility-based providers and interested parties. The meeting was overwhelemed with press and media, receiving coverage by 5 different TV stations, newspapers and magazines! The presentations, which reported on the beneficial effects of the LifeWrap, from studies conducted in-country, were extremeley well received, after which followed a lively discussion with possible future directions being debated.

 

January 2010

Happy New Year!

This month we are pleased to have the support of Emily Mangone interning with us in Ndola, Zambia. She will be working closely with Dr. Aminu who is also currently based in the Copperbelt region. Dr. Aminu Isyaku Mohammed is an Ob/Gyn from Nigeria who has considerable experience working with the LifeWrap. He is in Zambia now, supporting and training providers as they learn how to use this invaluable device.

December 2009

Reporting on the LifeWrap at International Conference in Cape Town

LifeWrap staff and international colleagues were thrilled with the opportunity to share LifeWrap findings with colleagues from around the world at this prestigious forum.

Over 9000 representatives from many countries and organizations attended this conference, hosted by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics in Cape Town, South Africa. Many were interested to hear about a first-aid device that keeps women alive during transport to hospital and while awaiting treatment for obstetric hemorrhage.

We presented hard-hitting evidence of the LifeWrap's utility to people from influential organizations such as the World Health Organization, Health Ministers and policy officials, and a whole range of public health professionals who can help further the reach of such an important device.

November 2009

Bringing the LifeWrap to Zimbabwean clinics - Overcoming all obstacles!

This year has been a very difficult year for conducting research in Zimbabwe. With political and financial turmoil, staff at hospitals and clinics who had not been able to live on their meager and inconsistent salaries went on strike, leaving our small staff and study on hold. But, immediately upon re-opening of hospitals, women hemorrhaging received care with the LifeWrap. It is with an acknowledgement of the hard work and determination of the staff that the next phase of our work is now starting up in Zimbabwe.

This month, Safe Motherhood staff took the LifeWrap to clinics in Harare and trained providers in their use. This final, multi-year phase will show us how much the LifeWrap can improve outcomes when used at the clinic level before transport to the hospital.

October 2009

Trainings in the Copperbelt

This month we trained health care providers in two of the largest hospitals in Zambia. We took the LifeWrap and experienced trainers from the US and Nigeria to share skills with midwives, doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgeons. Women who hemorrhage in these facilities will be resuscitated using this life-saving device. In fact, immediately after the Copperbelt training there were two women with massive hemorrhage whose lives were saved by the newly trained providers using the LifeWrap!

August 2009

Summer Interns and New Staff

This summer we are thrilled to have had a number of interns working on the LifeWrap project in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and here in the San Francisco offices. Thank you to you all – your work is very much appreciated.

Whilst we are sad to see the Regional Coordinator, Althea Anderson, MPH leave for a Doctorate Program, we are excited to have Kelly Winter, MPH joining our team in her place. Kelly’s MPH is in International Public Health from Boston University and she has experience working in health projects in Madagascar as well as various US public health programs and research.

July 2009

Dr. Miller trains in India

Dr. Miller spent time in India working as a consultant with Patherfinder International. While there she trained in the use of the LifeWrap as well as assisted with other work on the maternal health ‘Continuum of Care,’ including filming an educational video on the LifeWrap for use in further trainings around the world.

February 2009

Phase 3 Training!

In February, Dr. Miller and LifeWrap’s Project Director Elizabeth Butrick, went to Zambia for an intensive three weeks in which they trained staff from all of the clinics involved in the study in the capital city of Lusaka. Nurses, midwives, and Sisters-in-Charge attended a full training on standard procedure for conducting deliveries, prevention and treatment of hemorrhage, and (for half of the clinics – chosen through random selection), use of the LifeWrap.

Over 300 staff were involved in this training which moves the project in the Lusaka site into the third and most important phase. It is from now on that we will start to gather data which will show whether application of the LifeWrap at the clinic level improves outcomes for hemorrhaging women compared to application at the hospital level.

January 2009

Winter and Spring Interns

Throughout January to May Jessica Morris (Safe Motherhood Program Project Specialist) was based in the Copperbelt site in Zambia, followed in May through July by Yi-Ling Tan (Columbia MPH graduate). These interns assisted local project Coordinators with the running of the project, worked closely with staff at all participating clinics and hospitals to ensure everyone knew about the study and was fully trained in all procedures, as well as working with the data being collected. Yi-Ling enjoyed her time so much that she returned in July to work for another three months in this region!

2009 - Dissemination Of Findings In Nigeria

One of the most important parts of our work is making sure that findings are fully reported back to local stakeholders – this means all of the people involved in the research and collection of data, but also relevant people and groups who could be interested and/or affected by the results. Dr. Miller and Elizabeth Butrick recently travelled to Nigeria to report on the findings from the LifeWrap research conducted there.

This shows a 60% reduction in deaths and 85% reduction in morbidities (severe disabilities). Not only were local staff in Nigeria pleased to hear the great results from their use of the LifeWrap, but local government officials were also greatly inspired and moved to continue their work bringing the LifeWrap to more and more women in their country (through ongoing work with Pathfinder International).

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