Activities & Initiatives
Our Impact
For over two decades, the Global Women's Health program has created and collaborated on projects to improve women's health in 22 countries.
Professional Association Strengthening
ACOG has conducted assessments, training, and Professional Association Strengthening for the obstetrician–gynecologist associations of Bangladesh, Burma, Ethiopia, India, Malawi, Uganda, and Zambia. Learn more with the Professional Association Strengthening Manual.
Essential Training in Operative Obstetrics
ACOG expanded upon its successful surgical obstetrics training program at Mulago Hospital and Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Kampala, Uganda. This program trained nearly 200 master trainers and more than 490 professionals in advanced surgical skills and integrated a locally revised curriculum into preservice education for physicians.
GE Healthcare Institute and ACOG Collaboration in India
ACOG partners with GE Healthcare to develop, tailor, and implement educational programs for physicians in India. ACOG adapts existing e-modules on a range of obstetric and gynecologic topics for physicians. This program has the opportunity to expand to additional countries in south Asia.
Sustainable Health Impacts in Madagascar
ACOG partnered with Management Sciences for Health on the USAID Madagascar Accessible Continuum of Care and Essential Services Sustained program. The Accessible Continuum of Care and Essential Services Sustained program aims to support activities that contribute to USAID/Madagascar’s five-year (2019–23) health development objectives. Program goals included developing healthy norms and health seeking behaviors while building the capacity of Malagasy institutions to lead social and behavioral change. The program activities are designed to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality while strengthening health systems at the district level and below.
Latin American Initiative
The goal of the Latin American Initiative is to improve women’s health care through strategies that include improved training of obstetrics and gynecology residents and strengthening the role of obstetrician–gynecologist professional associations through education regulation, improving facilities, and better policies for women’s health. Results of the initiative included an efficient and objective residency review process, a psychometrically verifiable examination system, improved continuing medical education, and training in gynecological oncology for six countries in Latin America.
Strengthening Medical Education in Central America
Since 2003, ACOG has strengthened obstetrician–gynecologist societies and enhanced professional education and training standards through the Central American Residency Program (CAFA). ACOG supports development of residency accreditation and administration of in-service exams, establishment of minimal educational standards, facilitation of quality assurance processes, and mentoring of hospital leaders. Data on residency program performance is measured through an annual in-service examination and results inform improvements in education. In 2018, 320 doctors in Central America took the CAFA exams. Learn more with the CAFA Program Summary.
ACOG Collaboration with the Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
The Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and ACOG collaborated to improve the quality of medical education and residency training for obstetrician–gynecologists in Ethiopia by developing national guidelines for obstetrics and gynecology residency education; providing up-to date continuing medical education for obstetrician–gynecologists; enhancing the capacity of faculty and residents in obstetrics and gynecology residency programs to implement, analyze, and publish the results of clinical outcomes research; and establishing an Ethiopian obstetrician–gynecologist examination and certification program. Read the collaborative project report to learn more.
Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene (WASH)
This program was designed to provide education, guidance and technical assistance around WASH in healthcare facilities, to work with professional association colleagues and regional bodies to develop WASH-healthcare facility guidelines, and to adapt WASH messaging for advocacy teams. The program accomplished activities in Ethiopia and Uganda, and recently completed a series of webinars to help hone WASH advocacy skills, such as budgeting and public-private partnerships, in low resource settings.
Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health
Malawi had the 13th highest maternal mortality ratio in the world. To address this public health crisis, ACOG tailored the successful U.S.-based Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health program to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa. In partnership with the Malawi Ministry of Health and the Baylor College of Medicine, this program increased usage of safety protocols, improved teamwork and staff preparedness, enhanced a culture of safety, and increased recognition and management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). More than 390 staff members were trained in team communication and PPH management. Fourteen skills labs were conducted on emergency interventions, quantification of blood loss, leadership, team communication skills, and implementation of PPH bundles. Read the impact report to learn more about this program.
Saving Mothers Giving Life
ACOG worked with USAID, Merck for Mothers, the government of Norway, Every Mother Counts, and Project C.U.R.E to successfully integrate uterine balloon tamponade into the Zambian Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care training curriculum in 16 districts. This program trained 618 nurses, midwives, and medical doctors in uterine balloon tamponade for managing severe postpartum hemorrhage. Saving Mothers addresses the three delays that prevent women from accessing maternal health services: delay in seeking services, delay in reaching services, and delay in receiving quality care.
Survive & Thrive Global Development Alliance
This now concluded program was a public-private partnership that aimed to ensure that mothers, newborns, and children can survive and thrive to their full potential. Survive & Thrive works alongside in-country health professionals and health ministries to design, implement, and evaluate programs to improve key interventions in maternal, newborn, and child health. ACOG participated in the Saving 100,000 Babies initiative and collaborated with the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria to create an activity and training time line for the program.