
Global maternal and newborn health platform
The Global Maternal and Newborn Health Platform aims to improve care given to mothers and newborn babies. It will do this by collecting data on the care provided to women as well as asking women about their experiences. This information will be used to work with governments and service providers to develop and implement ways to improve the quality of care offered to women.
Every woman's birth experience is unique. Ideally a hospital can provide childbirth and early newborn care that is safe and best meets the needs of women. This can be challenging, particularly when resources are limited.
The Global Maternal and Newborn Health Platform connects 74 hospitals and clinics in 10 low- and middle-income countries across Asia and the Pacific region. Eventually, we aim to include 60 countries around the world.
Burnet is the coordinating institution for this project in the Asia-Pacific region.
Visit the Global Maternal and Newborn Health Platform project website.
Data we will collect
We’re collecting data on more than 110,000 women and their newborns in 74 hospitals across the Asia-Pacific region. We’re asking more than 30,000 women about their care experiences during and after birth.
Hospitals are gathering data on the care provided to women and babies during and after childbirth, including:
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how well World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended childbirth, delivery and early postnatal practices are followed
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the health of mothers and newborns
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how women feel about the care they receive
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healthcare providers’ work and their opinions
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facilities, medicines and equipment available in the hospitals
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local health policies.
Project outcomes
This project will:
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provide important information about childbirth and newborn care in hospitals
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measure health outcomes that are important for global health goals including the Sustainable Development Goals
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help raise awareness of and training in World Health Organisation guidelines
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strengthen research skills at local and national levels.
Partners
Funding partners
- World Health Organization
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
- Canada Aid, Canadian Government
- Centre for Research Excellence on Stillbirth, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australia
Collaborators
- University of Melbourne
- Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy
Project contacts
Main contact
Project team

Professor Joshua Vogel
Co-Program Director, Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health; Co-Head, Global Women’s and Newborn’s Health Group; Senior Principal Research Fellow

Dr Fiona Bruinsma
Senior Research Fellow

Professor Caroline Homer AO
Deputy Director – Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusion; Co-Head, Global Women's and Newborn Health; Co-Head, Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening

Dr Skandarupan Jayaratnam
Casual Senior Research Fellow

Long Nguyen
Data Manager
Dr Salahuddin Ahmed
Country Principal Investigator, Bangladesh
Projahnmo Research Foundation
Dr Litia Narube
Country Principal Investigator, Fiji
Fiji National University
Dr Detty Siti Nurdiati
Country Principal Investigator, Indonesia
Universitas Gadjah Mada
Dr Buyanjargal Yadamsuren
Country Principal Investigator, Mongolia
Mongolian Association of Family Medicine Specialists
Dr Sandesh Poudel
Country Principal Investigator, Nepal
Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital
Professor Glen Mola
Country Principal Investigator, Papua New Guinea
University of Papua New Guinea
Dr Leeanne Panisi
Country Principal Investigator, Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands National Referral Hospital
Professor Athula Kaluarachchi
Country Principal Investigator, Sri Lanka
University of Colombo
Professor Tippawan Liabsuetrakul
Country Principal Investigator, Thailand
Prince of Songkla University
Dr Milena Dos Santos
Country Principal Investigator, Timor-Leste
Guido Valadares National Hospital
Associate Professor Emily Karahalios
Collaborator
University of Melbourne
Dr Veronica Pigray
Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Mabel Berrueta
Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Rocío Rodríguez
Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Milagros Oberti
Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Sandra Formia
Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Álvaro Ciganda
Collaborator
Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy, Argentina
Dr Tina Lavin
Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Mercedes Bonet
Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Olufemi Oladapo
Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Soe Soe Thwin
Collaborator
World Health Organization
Khurshed Nosirov
Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Chandani Anoma Jayathilaka
Collaborator
World Health Organization
Dr Shogo Kubota
Collaborator
World Health Organization
