I am part of the education team to help train local healthcare providers and midwives about postpartum hemorrhage. Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of death for child bearing aged women.
We are planning a two week conference plus going into the village clinics and doing side-by-side training.
We will also have other team members teaching newborn care birth, life-saving skills of the newborn and sickle cell treatments and outcomes
The population that we will be working with our healthcare providers in Sierra Leone, as well as the traditional midwives the population that will be further served are those clients that they care for during their pregnancy and childbirth
The obvious goal is to reduce postpartum hemorrhage, which will then impact the population by educating their healthcare providers on preventative tactics, intervention during hemorrhage and care of the hemorrhaging mother
During a 21 day medical mission in Sierra Leone, our team partnered with local healthcare providers to strengthen maternal and newborn care practices through hands-on education and mentorship. We trained 65 healthcare workers, spanning over 15 district clinics and hospitals — including nurses, midwives, and community health providers — using World Health Organization–aligned curricula developed through the Essential Newborn Care and Helping Mothers Survive Childbirth programs (with JIPEGO training resources).
The training was intentionally intensive and highly practical, focusing on evidence-based techniques to improve safe delivery practices, newborn resuscitation, infection prevention, and early recognition of maternal and neonatal complications. Participants practiced skills through simulations, peer learning, and case-based discussion designed to build both competence and confidence.
Following the classroom training, our team conducted onsite follow-up visits in community clinics and hospitals, providing bedside coaching, mentoring, and reinforcement of newly learned skills within real clinical environments. This continuity helped bridge the gap between training and implementation, supporting providers as they integrated new practices into their daily work.
This collaborative effort strengthened local capacity, encouraged sustainable practice improvements, and supported healthcare providers who are deeply committed to improving outcomes for mothers and newborns in their communities. I have uploaded pictures of some of the training and clinics. I can easily send more if desired. Thank you for partnering with me in air travel to come alongside others and make a difference in the practices of childbirth and newborn care. This impact on their practices will change statistics and outcome in many communities.
Was it worth it? YES!
