Members of LSTM’s Centre for Maternal and Newborn Health (CMNH) are currently in Muscat, Oman taking part in a specially organised workshop examining the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths and maternal ‘near-miss’ review to improve quality of care.
Head of CMNH, Professor Nynke van den Broek, is one of the key experts invited to speak at the workshop, which has been organised by Oman’s Ministry of Health and CMNH’s Dr Jamila Al-Abri. Professor van den Broek has been talking to representatives from government, obstetricians, midwives and physicians from across Oman to introduce a national maternal near-miss survey and meeting with the Ministry of Health to discuss strengthening the country’s position in understanding and categorising maternal death.
CMNH was an integral part of the international team which developed the definition of maternal near-miss (Say et al, 2009(link is external)), as well as being part of the World Health Organization (WHO) technical working group developing the ICD-10 MM classification of cause of maternal death which will be used for cause of near-miss (Ameh et al, 2012(link is external); Owolabi et al, 2012(link is external)). The work is supported by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
During the workshop Professor van den Broek met with his Excellency Dr Ahmed Mohammed Al-Saidi, Oman’s Minister of Health, who was impressed by the workshop, commending its content and has asked to see any report at its conclusion. Professor van den Broek said: “The workshop has been a great success in encouraging a deeper understanding in maternal death and what qualifies as a ‘near-miss’. It is fantastic that his Excellency is in support of the work and appreciates the importance of communication between professional groups in managing women with severe obstetric complications.”