Background
In 2012, the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children (UNCoLSC) identified four essential commodities for newborn health that can address and prevent the leading causes of newborn mortality during the first 28 days of life: antenatal corticosteroids, chlorhexidine for umbilical cord care, injectable antibiotics, and neonatal resuscitation equipment. The Newborn Technical Resource Team (TRT) of the UNCoLSC has been implementing the recommendations of the Commission and working to ensure that these commodities are available and accessible, and are properly administered by skilled healthcare workers in countries with a high burden of newborn morbidity and mortality. In early-2016, Every Preemie—SCALE was asked by the UNCoLSC Newborn Health TRT to conduct a policy and implementation landscape analysis of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) use for women at risk of imminent preterm birth. As part of this activity, Every Preemie—SCALE facilitated a meeting of the ACS Technical Working Group on June 14, 2016, which included dissemination of the ACS landscape analysis conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa and engagement of leaders on recommendations and next steps for ACS. Materials are below.
Materials and Presentations – ACS TWG June 14, 2016
Agenda – ACS TWG June 14, 2016
Participant List – ACS TWG June 14, 2016
Presentations:
- Introduction to UNCoLSC ACS TWG – Dr. Jim Litch, Every Preemie—SCALE/GAPPS
- Update on ENAP facility indicators for ACS – Dr. Jim Litch, Every Preemie—SCALE/GAPPS
- WHO multi-country ACS safety and efficacy study – Dr. Rajiv Bahl, WHO
- Update on the Threatened Preterm Birth Care training curriculum – Lindsay Grenier, Maternal and Child Survival Program/Jhpiego
- Aiming low: Optimizing ACS dosing regimens – Dr. Rachel Gibson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Dr. Alan Jobe, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
- ACS policy and implementation landscape analysis: Introduction and design – Dr. Jim Litch, Every Preemie—SCALE/GAPPS
- ACS policy and implementation landscape analysis: Findings – Judith Robb-McCord, Every Preemie—SCALE/PCI