International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics : the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics
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Int J Gynaecol Obstet · Oct 2014
Emerging lessons from the FIGO LOGIC initiative on maternal death and near-miss reviews.
This short paper describes some early findings from an overview of the maternal death or severe morbidity "near-miss" reviews that have been undertaken to improve clinical care by the eight societies participating in the FIGO Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health aimed at strengthening the role of professional obstetric associations. While it is expected that each will publish its own report, generalizable lessons emerged and valuable solutions were implemented that will help others planning such reviews and audits in future.
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Int J Gynaecol Obstet · Oct 2014
The FIGO Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health.
The FIGO Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health developed the organizational capacity of national professional organizations of obstetrics and gynecology in eight African and Asian countries. The initiative was funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and had three key objectives. These goals were to support the eight FIGO member associations to strengthen their capacity to work effectively; to influence national policies on maternal and newborn health; and to work toward improving clinical practice in this area. The current supplement presents evidence that the focus and effectiveness of a national obstetric and gynecologic association-as well as its influence on major public health issues (such as United Nations Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5)-can be substantially broadened and enhanced by the provision of external support.
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Int J Gynaecol Obstet · Oct 2014
United Nations Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5: augmenting the role of health professional associations.
The present study aimed to assess changes in the organizational capacity of health professional associations (HPAs) before and after a structured capacity building intervention, which included strategic investment of resources at institutional and technical levels. Self-assessments of organizational capacity were conducted by seven HPAs from low-resource countries involved in the FIGO Leadership in Obstetrics and Gynecology for Impact and Change (LOGIC) Initiative in Maternal and Newborn Health. ⋯ All seven HPAs made improvements, with gains in an overall index (P=0.017) and in the specific dimensions of culture (P=0.016), operational capacity (P=0.016), performance (P=0.03), and functions (P=0.016). Increased capacity contributed to the ability of each HPA to enhance their credibility and assume leadership in national efforts to improve maternal and newborn health.
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Across four decades of political and social action, Nepal changed from a country strongly enforcing oppressive abortion restrictions, causing many poor women's long imprisonment and high rates of abortion-related maternal mortality, into a modern democracy with a liberal abortion law. The medical and public health communities supported women's rights activists in invoking legal principles of equality and non-discrimination as a basis for change. ⋯ The government must now provide services under criteria for access without charge, and services must be decentralized to promote equitable access. A strong legal foundation now exists for progress in social justice to broaden abortion access and reduce abortion stigma.