Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe, 69% of women have a skilled attendant at birth but the maternal mortality ratio is still very high at 880 (880 deaths for every 100,000 live births) and a lifetime risk of maternal death of 1 in 43(UNICEF, 2005).
Dr. Suellen Miller at staff training session
In 2007 a large cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) was initiated in Zambia and Zimbabwe. This is to explore the crucial question of whether the LifeWrap, applied by midwives at primary health care centers, will save more mothers' lives than application only at higher level facilities. This is our first study to see whether early application results in even better outcomes that we have seen so far. In Zimbabwe we are working with the UZ-UCSF Collaborative Research Programme at Harare Central Hospital, Parienyatwa Hospital and 12 clinics that refer patients to these hospitals.
LifeWrap regional coordinators in Zimbabwe
Randomized Cluster Trials represent the gold standard in research and we hope that the outcomes of our research will result in the World Health Organization’s inclusion of the LifeWrap on its list of essential devices, which will enable governments and NGOs to start buying and implementing the LifeWrap on a much larger scale.
Dr. Suellen Miller with Zimbabwean Study Midwives
Our personnel in Zimbabwe include local Investigators Dr. Thulani Magwali and Dr. Michael Chirenje, and Harare Study Coordinator Violet Mambo.
Funding for this study is being provided by the National Institutes for Child Health and Development (NICHD) and the Gates Foundation.