In many parts of the world, maternal health remains a significant challenge. According to the latest figures, a maternal death occurs almost every two minutes — most of which are preventable. These challenges are often exacerbated by unequal access to health care services and unaddressed social determinants of health that can limit people’s access to care. The journey to motherhood should be one of hope and joy, yet for too many women, it is fraught with danger and uncertainty. The question we must ask is: How can we create a world where maternal health is a priority and every woman receives the care she deserves?
The role of community-led interventions
One of the most effective ways to address these challenges is through community-led interventions, which are critical in crafting solutions that are culturally relevant and sustainable. Organizations working at the ground level have the unique ability to understand and address the specific needs of their communities, making them indispensable in our shared goal of improving maternal health outcomes.
Community-based organizations are driving local change by engaging with cross-sector leaders, women, and families in their communities to cocreate strategies that improve maternal health outcomes. By prioritizing the voices and lived experiences of women, these organizations ensure that the solutions are not only effective but also empowering.
The Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity
Recognizing the vital importance of these organizations, MSD established the Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity in 2021 as part of our MSD for Mothers initiative — our global commitment to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life.
Honoring the legacy of former MSD chair and CEO Kenneth C. Frazier, whose bold leadership inspired the creation of MSD for Mothers, this award celebrates organizations committed to advancing high-quality maternal care. Each year, the award grants one organization the resources to bolster its vital work. These organizations are not only pioneering innovative solutions but also creating blueprints for others, setting new standards in maternal health through sustainable, community-led interventions.
Celebrating visionary organizations
To date, the awards have celebrated five outstanding recipients who continue to make a significant impact on their communities:
• 2025: HERA Digital Health is a mobile health platform that provides access to maternal care to vulnerable populations through a WhatsApp-based AI chatbot. Founded to address the unique challenges faced by displaced women, the platform offers multilingual, culturally grounded support and portable health records. “Our platform is making a transformative impact by increasing access to prenatal care and childhood vaccinations for refugees," said Aral Sürmeli, MD, MPH, executive director at HERA Digital Health. “We are proud to have improved more than 480,000 lives, and with this award, we are poised to expand our impact even further, bringing essential health information to women and children in need.”
• 2024: Moving Health was created to tackle the critical issue of transportation for pregnant women in rural areas of low- and middle-income countries, such as Ghana. In many cases, reaching a health care facility in time can mean the difference between life and death. Moving Health's tricycle ambulances are designed to navigate difficult terrains, ensuring that women have timely access to the care they need at just a fraction of the cost of a traditional ambulance. “The support of organizations such as MSD for Mothers has enabled us to deploy more than 30 tricycle ambulances across Ghana, ensuring timely access to maternal and emergency care for thousands of people,” said Emily Young, chief executive officer and co-founder at Moving Health. “We’ve created a replicable model that we aim to implement to transform emergency services across Ghana and Africa.”
• 2023: ARMMAN was founded to address avoidable fatalities and disabilities occurring during pregnancy and childbirth in India. By leveraging mobile health technology, ARMMAN provides expectant mothers with critical information and supports health workers in managing high-risk pregnancies. “This award has changed the lives of women and children in some of India’s most vulnerable, equity-encumbered communities,” said Dr. Aparna Hegde, founder and managing trustee at ARMMAN. “Through the health equity pilots supported by MSD for Mothers, we are designing innovative approaches to reach marginalized populations. Such partnerships help ensure no one is left behind in advancing maternal and child health and creating intergenerational change.”
• 2022: Mali Health was developed to help community members identify and address the barriers preventing women and children from accessing quality health care in peri-urban communities in Bamako, Mali. It helps women and communities overcome those barriers through locally led and community-driven strategies such as connecting women with health information and midwives who help them prepare for birth. While addressing many urgent needs today, Mali Health’s goal is to build community-led health systems that keep women at the heart of maternal and child health care and ensure that quality health care is accessible to all families, whenever they need it.
• 2021: The inaugural award recipient, Sinergias, was created to improve access to quality health and social development services for Colombia’s marginalized populations. Through collaboration with indigenous and rural communities, it cocreates culturally relevant health solutions. “By strengthening local capacities to improve care for women and newborns, we are improving access to quality services and fostering sustainable health improvements,” said Pablo Montoya, general director of Sinergias. “We thank MSD for Mothers, who share our commitment to addressing maternal health inequities and give us the opportunity to continue this mission.”
Progress toward a brighter future
These organizations exemplify the power of community-driven solutions in tackling maternal health challenges. They understand that the journey to safer pregnancies and childbirth doesn't happen in isolation; it requires collaboration with those who are most affected.
Our company’s MSD for Mothers initiative is committed to supporting these efforts, and we cannot do it alone. “We urge our entire ecosystem — governments, policymakers, health care providers, and communities — to join this mission,” said Kalahn Taylor-Clark, vice president of social impact and sustainability at MSD. “Together, we can help end preventable maternal morbidity and mortality.”
For more information on the Kenneth C. Frazier Award for Maternal Health Equity, visit: merckformothers.com/frazier-award.html
MSD for Mothers, an initiative of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, U.S.A., is a global effort to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life.
About the author
Jacquelyn Caglia
Jacquelyn “Jacque” Caglia has over 20 years of experience in public health and global development. As Head of MSD for Mothers, she drives the strategic vision of MSD’s initiative to help end preventable maternal deaths. Before joining MSD in 2019, Jacque was associate director at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, leading the maternal health task force. Her career spans roles with World Connect, the Institute for Community Health, and the Peace Corps. Jacque holds degrees in biology, psychology, and public health from Boston University.
