ShareA better future for families everywhere
PATH’s innovative work aims to save lives and improve health for mothers and their children
For more than 30 years, PATH has worked to improve maternal and child health and nutrition in developing countries. We apply proven approaches and develop innovative technologies to address the leading causes of maternal and child deaths and enhance nutrition for mothers and their children. PATH’s integrated approach focuses on serving some of the hardest-to-reach populations with affordable, appropriate, and sustainable solutions for improved health.
Protecting mothers’ health
While the rate of maternal deaths has declined on the global level in the last decade, it’s estimated that more than 300,000 women still die each year during pregnancy, childbirth, or the six weeks following birth. The burden of maternal mortality remains especially high in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Excessive bleeding is the single greatest cause of maternal mortality. We emphasize community-based approaches, build skills of birth attendants, and shape supportive policies to expand the practice of active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL), a proven and effective method for preventing many cases of postpartum hemorrhage. We are building evidence for the safe use of the drug oxytocin, a key component of AMTSL. And we’re advancing its use in the prefilled, autodisable Uniject injection system™ to create an affordable, easy-to-use solution for delivering the drug in peripheral settings.
We’re also examining the potential for affordable tools to diagnose common infections and other illnesses among new mothers.
Safeguarding young lives
PATH is advancing affordable technologies, ranging from neonatal resuscitators that help newborns with breathing problems to vaccines that protect against influenza, pneumococcal disease, and other common childhood illnesses. We work with health programs in developing countries to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV through interventions such as counseling and testing for women and promotion of optimal infant feeding practices. We mobilize women to access health services during pregnancy, delivery, and after birth. Our community-led mothers’ groups counsel women and their families in simple practices for keeping babies healthy.
Good nutrition for healthy futures
We encourage healthy feeding behaviors, increase access to nutrients in staple foods, and work with countries to bolster systems and policies for better nutrition. With our partners, PATH reaches health workers, communities, and families to prevent malnutrition for mothers and promote optimal infant feeding practices. Our work includes helping to introduce Ultra Rice® fortification technology, which provides a fortified grain that is blended with local rice for enhanced nutritional value. Also, with the US Agency for International Development’s Infant and Young Child Nutrition Project, we work within health systems to train health workers, share good practices, and provide guidance on national policies to combat malnutrition.
Strong and effective health systems
Our efforts depend upon strong health systems. We help to strengthen governance, enhance policies, build health information systems, procure supplies, manage the vaccine cold chain, and train and supervise health workers. Our efforts aim to expand the scope and availability of services to improve health for families no matter where they live.
Uniject is a registered trademark of BD.
Ultra Rice is a registered US trademark of Bon Dente International, Inc.
Banner photo: Miguel Alvarez.