WASHINGTON — Adequate and consistent delivery of clinical and patient-centered care are ongoing challenges in India. A number of accreditation bodies prescribe quality health care standards, but the majority of private health care facilities, where nearly half of mothers in India deliver, do not require adherence to the competency-based clinical care standards that have been identified as key to the prevention of maternal mortality. In addition, there are few options for private providers to improve quality.
To address disparities in quality across a mixed health care system, the Federation of Obstetric & Gynaecological Societies of India, or FOGSI, in partnership with international health non-profit Jhpiego and with financial support from MSD for Mothers and the McArthur Foundation, launched a quality improvement certification program for private facilities called Manyata.
Continue reading the full multimedia feature story on certifying quality maternal care in India.
The Maternity Matters series is sponsored by MSD for Mothers, MSD’s $500 million initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die giving life. The content of this article is the responsibility of the author(s) and does not necessarily represent the official views of MSD. MSD for Mothers is an initiative of Merck & Co., Inc. Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A.
About the author
Julie Espinosa
Julie Espinosa is the Associate Director of Creative at Devex. She leads a team of visual storytellers who work with reporters all over the globe to cover the topics of humanitarian aid, sustainable development and global health. Prior to joining Devex, Julie worked in documentary film production in Austin, Texas. She holds a master’s degree in communications and cultural studies from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s in visual arts from Harvard University.
