GHP 547: Field Experience in Maternal HealthWINTER SESSION 2020PROFESSOR: DR. ANA LANGER

Maternal health: a global public health priority

• Poor maternal health affects the most vulnerable women, newborns, children, families and communities

• Big equity gaps in timely access to quality maternal health care and outcomes

• Ending preventable maternal mortality: Focus of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3.1)

GHP 547

GHP 547: Field Experience in Maternal Health will provide students with an opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge to maternal health issues in low resource settings through direct experiences with partner organizations.

Each student’s experience is individually designed to meet the needs of both the student and the host organization.

Course Objectives

1

2

3

Describe, analyze and discuss the status of maternal health globally and in each student’s destination country

Identify creative opportunities for research, local capacity building, and translation of evidence into practice

Develop partnerships with individuals and organizations working to advance maternal health

Communicate effectively about maternal health with relevant stakeholders in a variety of settings

4Conceptualize and examine a research question in the field of maternal health, and identify an approach to address it 5

• Bangladesh: icddr,b• Uganda: Makerere University• Zambia: Population Council• Peru: Ministry of Economy and

Finance • Jordan: University of Jordan• Malawi: Joyce Banda Foundation• Somaliland: Edna Adan Hospital• New York: Every Mother Counts

Previous Host Organizations

Projects (examples)

• Interview community health workers’ about experiences with mHealth tools before national scale-up

• Collect baseline data from hospital deliveries in order to develop training materials adapted to the local context

• Improve a qualitative measurement tool for use in a pay-for-performance project

• Develop an organizational strategy for expanding services in new maternal health clinics

• Analysis of qualitative survey data about maternal health needs

SAM

PLE

SCH

EDU

LE DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3Morning: Meet with the point person at host organization; general overview of the project and introduction to staff members

Lunch: At the office

Afternoon: Development of draft interview guide for community health workers

Morning: Finalize interview guide and prepare for meetings

Lunch: At the office

Afternoon: Meetings with health center staff and community leaders

Morning: Field visit to community health center and interviews with health workers

Lunch: In the field

Afternoon: De-briefing meeting with supervisor at the office; transcription of interviews

• Register!• Participate in a short interview with the teaching team• Match with host organization and learn about their work• Develop scope of work in dialogue with your host

organization and W&HI staff• Learn about the culture and status of maternal health in

your placement country • Participate in three sessions to discuss maternal health and

cover course logistics• Come to office hours, as needed

Pre-departure

• W&HI will provide up to 10 students with $1,000 in travel support after the completion of the course.

• 25% of economy round-trip airfare (as funded by the Office for Student Services) up to a set limit, based upon the airfare between Boston and the location of travel, regardless of where the student originates the trip

• Students are also eligible for a contribution towards per-diem expenses, based upon the length of the trip and will be determined by available funds. In past years, the contribution has been ~$75 to $100 per week of travel.

Estimated costs

Additional Funding Sources

Look for J-Term Winter Session Scholarships or Grants through individual schools, such as:

• Committee for African Studies• Asia Center• David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies

All deadlines and criteria for application may be found on their individual websites.

• Interested students must submit the common application by 12:00pm EST on October 2, 2019 indicating that GHP547 is her/his first choice along with the GHP547 online addendum

• Students will be selected based on their interest in maternal health as well as relevant experiences in the field based on their application and a brief interview

• Up to 10 students in good standing at Harvard Chan will be admitted with notifications going out by October 18, 2019

Wrapping Up

THANK YOU

© 2006 AJ Fanthome, Courtesy of Photoshare

© 2008 Arturo Sanabria, Courtesy of Photoshare

© 2006 Jacob Simkin, Courtesy of Photoshare

© 2009 Micah Albert, Courtesy of Photoshare

© 2007 Paul Jeffrey/ACT-Caritas, Courtesy of Photoshare

© 2007 Peter Verbiscar-Brown, Courtesy of Photoshare

© 2009 Rajal Thaker, Courtesy of Photoshare

© 2007 Nathaniel Segaren, Courtesy of Photoshare

PHOTO CREDITS