What It Is
Our volunteer medical teams provide resuscitation training and equipment to doctors and their assistants in countries where newborn mortality is high. These newly trained medical personnel in turn train other doctors and medical personnel. As a result, thousands of newborn lives are saved. Each project team may work with up to 15 organizations in one country per project. These organizations may include pediatrician associations, midwife organizations, hospitals and clinics, and other community health organizations. Each facility is provided with simple equipment that is used in the resuscitation process.

Why It Is a Priority
The World Health Organization indicates that around three percent of approximately 120 million infants born every year in developing countries suffer birth asphyxia—breathing problems due to the trauma of birth—requiring resuscitation. Of these, about 900,000 newborns die each year. Birth asphyxia is frequently complicated by conditions of premature birth, which is more common in areas where health care is lacking. In many developing countries, medical staff members are untrained and lack the basic equipment to deal with neonatal resuscitation. Hence, the mortality rate is very high.

What It Does and How It Helps
To date, more than 30,000 medical personnel have been trained in developing countries, either by our teams, or by those they have trained.