Newborn Resuscitation

According to the World Health Organization, approximately a quarter of newborn deaths are attributable to newborn asphyxia, a large proportion of which can be prevented through better care during labor and delivery and effective newborn resuscitation techniques.

MCSP was a key implementing partner to the Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) Global Development Alliance, which created a competency-based training curriculum for neonatal resuscitation to be used in low-income contexts. In addition to the curriculum itself, HBB developed an implementation guide for national policymakers and planners, program managers, master trainers, and facilitators.

HBB focuses on the first minute of life, during which resuscitation should be initiated if a baby is not breathing. The curriculum provides birth attendants with critical guidance on evaluating the newborn and steps to stimulate breathing. It is designed to be stand-alone or can be integrated with other curricula and existing service delivery platforms. In collaboration with the GDA partners, MCSP supported the introduction, mentoring, supervision and incorporation of this curriculum into pre-service education.