The Ministry of Health of Ukraine together with the World Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine introduces a new research methodology of investigation of maternal deaths
Today its official presentation for regional specialists in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as media representatives was held in the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
The new methodology will have absolutely confidential character and will analyze in detail all the stages of providing care to a woman to go beyond the health system and consider other reasons that prevent timely appeal for medical help, etc. cause complications.
In essence, it involves an anonymous survey of all people who participated in helping the woman and survey relatives with their consent, in order to understand why the death occurred, and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine jointly with international partners, given the considerable global experience in this regard, believes that this methodology will significantly reduce maternal mortality in Ukraine and improve the health of mothers and children.
"The Ministry of Health has always paid special attention to the health of mothers and children. Dynamics of reduction of maternal mortality in Ukraine is positive, but unstable. To effectively improve maternal health we must first understand the problems that stand in our way. Today we take another step forward in this direction ", - said the Deputy Health Minister of Ukraine Viktor Shafranskiy during the presentation.
The Program manager of sexual and reproductive health of European Regional Bureau of WHO Gunta Lazdane said that European practice has proved that a confidential investigation significantly reduces maternal mortality. For over 60 years after the introduction of confidential methodology in the UK the, number of deaths dropped from 90 to 10 per 100 000 live births.
"The research is based on the methodology of WHO, which has been successful in many European countries. We are not looking for those responsible for the death of a woman, we are looking for the real causes of death which will help us to develop effective methods of prevention of maternal deaths in the future ",- she assured.
Deputy Representative of UNFPA in Ukraine Pavlo Zamostian emphasized "We believe that the introduction of this methodology will be a part of the modernization of the health system and will improve the quality and accessibility of health services for women in the country".
Implementation of the methodology of confidential investigation of maternal deaths is already approved by order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine of 26.12.2014 № 1014.
"A separate independent expert committee will work on the introduction of this methodology and on the confidential investigation. We plan to see the first concrete results of this study in two or three years. These findings will make it possible to understand the real causes of maternal mortality in the country and work to eliminate them, "- commented the Deputy Director of the Healthcare Department of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Valentyna Kolomeychuk.
