Welcome to our November newsletter!
Historically, MUNet started out as a UK / European network, though we are continually expanding to welcome colleagues from across the globe! Our network is now reaching 8,000 members internationally. This month, we are focussing on the importance and impact of strategies to improve global maternal health (GMH.) Research and evidence are at the core of our work, underpinning all that we do at MUNet. We are delighted to work in collaboration with the Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research at City, University of London who are actively engaged in innovative research and post-graduate education centred on GMH.
Thank you to Lucia, CEO at MUNet and a researcher / midwifery lecturer at City, University of London for offering us an overview of the fantastic work and post-graduate study opportunities in this field.
In the era of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals) there is a renewed focus on implementing and scaling-up midwife-led services that incorporate respectful and humanised care; one that is sustainable and based on best clinical and sociological evidence. Scarce human resources for health need to be managed both judiciously and appropriately, alongside the use of evidence-based technology to help stem the tide of rising and highly inequitable birth interventions and facilities – the twin problems of ‘too much too soon’ or ‘too little too late’ that exist in many low, middle and high-income countries.
The Centre for Maternal and Child Health Research, within City, University of London carries out high quality research to improve the health and care of women, children, families and communities. Since 2019, the Programme Implementing Midwifery-units – a Global Innovation and Evaluation programme (IMaGINE) is testing whether the introduction of midwifery units (MUs), staffed by dedicated midwives, can improve the birth environment and experience of care for women and midwives in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). IMaGINE focuses on the potential of midwifery-led care and services to address the complex, multi-faceted problems of widespread disrespect and abuse during birth, lack of evidence-based practice and women’s reluctance to engage with facility-based birth.
In 2020 we decided to engage in a new challenge, creating a flexible MSc Global Maternal Health (GMH) Programme to cater to the developmental and leadership needs of midwives and other health care professionals, researchers and policy experts, to enable them to effectively support the implementation and scaling up of midwife-led care globally. Please click button below for further information.
MSc Global Maternal Health Programme
In Autumn 2021, we are extremely proud to welcome our new cohort of pioneer students to the Programme, including the contribution of global experts in the field who have shared their knowledge and skills generously. This is the only programme which focuses on the global implementation of midwifery models of care based on continuity of care and midwife-led birth settings. The Programme includes both the development of knowledge and skills on the evidence and key characteristics of midwifery units and midwifery teams based on the continuity of care principles, while also including modules on research and implementation/improvement science.Our students are thriving off the flexibility to engage with the GMH MSc community and the Programme in a variety of different formats: online, hybrid online and face to face or mostly on-campus in London. Feedback from the students is extremely positive: “This MSc includes exactly what I wanted: learning about the evidence of midwifery-led care, principles of implementation and also the lecturers are real experts in the field working in global settings”. Another student commented: “I love the flexibility, being able to watch the recorded lecturers when convenient for me, whilst still being able to engage ‘live’ and discuss the crucial issues that affect our work with other students and experts from the field.”
Anyone interested in learning more about this Programme can join one of the postgraduate online events offered by City, University of London. Please click button below for further information.
Alternatively, please email Dr Lucia Rocca-Ihenacho, Programme Director for the Global Maternal Health MSc via the email below.
You can also join our Facebook Group to interact with other interested people and with some of our lecturers to ask questions and see if the Programme is a good fit for you.
Email Lucia: lucia.rocca-ihenacho@city.ac.uk
With thanks, The MUNet Director Team (Lucia, Chantelle, Ellen and Richard).
