Empowering Health Workers in Region 9: Advancing Maternal Health through capacity building on the identification of high risk and reduction of post-partum haemorrhage

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA, 25 SEPTEMBER 2025- In a significant step toward improving maternal health outcomes in Guyana, the Ministry of Health's Maternal and Child Health Department, in collaboration with the Delivering Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Initiative and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), conducted a comprehensive training session in Lethem, Region 9. The focus: identifying high-risk pregnancies and preventing maternal deaths due to haemorrhage.

This three-day training brought together 18 health professionals from across Region 9, including representatives from Lethem, Shulinab, Karasabai, Aishalton, and Sand Creek. Participants included midwives, community health workers, and medical doctors, all of whom play a critical role in maternal and newborn care at the community level.

Building Capacity for Life-Saving Care

Facilitated by Dr. Theresa Mansingh, Dr. Juliana Beharry (Government Medical Doctors), and Dr. Janice Woolford (Specialist, Family and Community Health, PAHO/WHO Guyana), the training was a follow-up to the Trainer of Trainers session previously held in collaboration with PAHO's Women's Health Unit (formerly CLAP) in Washington.
The sessions employed a dynamic mix of role plays, PowerPoint presentations, practical demonstrations, and didactic lectures, ensuring that participants were actively engaged and equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

A pre-test and post-test were administered to assess learning outcomes. The results were striking: participants improved from an average score of 50% to 95%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the training and the readiness of health workers to apply their new knowledge in real-world settings.

Key Topics Covered

• Introduction to maternal health risks and strategies to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality
• Guyana's maternal mortality trends, with emphasis on Region 9's avoidable maternal death this year
• Clinical guidelines for identifying and managing high-risk pregnancies
• Anaemia in pregnancy: causes, contributing factors, and dietary recommendations
• Management of post-partum haemorrhage
• Importance of early antenatal clinic attendance for timely screening and intervention

Participant Engagement and Feedback

Health workers expressed strong enthusiasm for the training and voiced a desire for regular sessions on maternal and child health topics. Their commitment to improving care at the community level was evident throughout the training.

Recommendations for Strengthening Maternal Health Services

1. Regular training sessions on public health and primary care strategies to prevent high-risk pregnancies and maternal deaths.
2. Availability of clinical protocols for managing high-risk pregnancies at all health facilities.
3. Updating labour ward protocols for the management of post-partum haemorrhage to reflect current best practices.

Conclusion

This training marks a vital investment in the health system of Region 9, empowering frontline health workers with the tools and knowledge needed to save lives. As Guyana continues its efforts to reduce maternal mortality, initiatives like these are essential to ensuring that no mother dies from preventable causes. PAHO/WHO remains committed to providing technical support to the country to improve the health and well-being of its citizens.