Over 4.5 million mothers and babies die each year from preventable conditions during pregnancy, birth or in the few weeks of life; 95% of these in lower-income countries. Maternal health supply chains are a key element to ensure medicines and equipment reach those who need it. Last mile delivery of medicines to hard-to-reach places is critical to addressing maternal and baby deaths. This Social Impact Pioneer podcast delves into the transformative partnership between Global Financing Facility (GFF), MSD for Mothers, the Mozambique Government, the USP Foundation and a caste of other public and private actors. Their ground-breaking collaboration focuses on improving maternal health supply chains, particularly in Mozambique.
Listen in to this podcast to learn how public-private partnerships can tackle complex health issues effectively and exemplify the power of shared information for good.
Social Impact Pioneers – Jeffrey Jacobs and Tara Tagmyer have both dedicated their careers to solving complex health challenges. From vaccine design to last-mile delivery of medical supplies to remote health facilities. During this conversation expect to learn first-hand, practical ways to bring big organisations together to share expertise and importantly complex data sets in order to create health provision solutions. As Tara explains the crucial role of AI in strengthening these supply chains underscores the synergy of technology and healthcare.
Questions this podcast explores:
How do improvements in supply chains increase maternal and baby health outcomes?
Improvements in supply chains, particularly in areas where logistics and distribution are challenging, as seen in Mozambique’s partnership with organisations like MSD for Mothers and the Global Financing Facility, directly impact maternal and baby health outcomes.
What examples are there of businesses, the public-sector, academia and NGOs working well and partnering together to improve healthcare in low income countries?
In the realm of healthcare in low-income countries, a notable example of effective collaboration is the partnership involving the Global Financing Facility, MSD for Mothers, UPS, and Mozambique’s Ministry of Health. This initiative aimed to revolutionise Mozambique’s healthcare supply chain. It focused on overcoming logistical challenges to ensure efficient distribution of health products to remote areas. The collaboration leveraged private sector expertise in logistics and data management, integrating it with public sector goals to enhance healthcare delivery.
How can big data help improve health outcomes in emerging markets?
Big data can improve health outcomes in emerging markets by enabling better supply chain management and resource allocation. As exemplified by the Mozambique case, utilising big data can streamline logistics, enhance distribution of health products, and ensure efficient delivery of medical supplies, particularly in remote areas. This integration of private sector efficiency into public health systems, facilitated by partnerships like the Global Financing Facility and MSD for Mothers, demonstrates the transformative potential of big data in strengthening healthcare infrastructure and outcomes in emerging economies.
Links:
Statista 2023, Infant Mortality Rate 2023
UN WHO, 2023, A woman dies every two minutes due to pregnancy or childbirth: UN agencies
WHO, 2023, Global Progress In Tackling Maternal and New-born Deaths Stalls Since 2015
