Can a simple, safe childbirth checklist save lives in developing countries? | Bill Gates

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I had the privilege recently of meeting Atul Gawande, a brilliant physician who’s using an amazingly simple concept—checklists for medical practitioners—to save lives and reduce health care costs. With support from our foundation, Gawande is investigating whether a safe childbirth checklist can increase the survival rate of mothers and newborns during childbirth in India and other developing countries. It’s a well-known fact that hand washing and sterile instruments prevent the transmission of germs during medical procedures. Yet, many doctors and nurses frequently don’t follow these basic protocols. It’s an especially big problem in developing countries—where many hospitals and clinics lack a basic standard of care. Dr. Atul Gawande, a high-regarded U.S. surgeon and researcher, may have found the solution: a 1-page checklist that helps health workers avoid the major causes of maternal, newborn, and intrapartum (stillborn) deaths. Although it seems like a simple and obvious approach, n

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Can a simple, safe childbirth checklist save lives in developing countries? | Bill Gates

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