Reporting from Ethiopia: Women Supporting Each Other in Living with HIV

Earlier this week, I wrote about realities of childbirth in rural Ethiopia, of seeing a woman in agonizing labor, a woman suffering from obstetric fistula, and the dream of another young woman, Zanab, of becoming a fistula doctor.

The Realities of Childbirth in Ethiopia: A Visit to the Adet Health Center in Amhara

Adet Health Center is only 40 kilometers from the city of Bahir Dar but the road is muddy, narrow, and full of pot holes, so the journey takes an hour and a half.

Why Advocate for PMTCT? Because it Works.

IntraHealth worked with Ethiopian community organizations to set up Mothers’ Support Groups, so that women living with HIV can support each other in living healthy lives and, if pregnant, taking steps to ensure their babies are born virus-free. This is the story of Meaza Asefa, a Mothers’ Support Group member.

Making Universal Access a Reality: Yes, We Have To

Recently, Foreign Policy published “The Long Emergency,” an analysis of the future of the United States’ HIV/AIDS programming and funding as the Obama administration reshapes its global health agenda.

Reaching the Goal: World Cup 2010 and Health Workers

Until the final match on July 11, much of the world’s attention is on South Africa as it hosts the World Cup, awash in swirling colors, patriotic chants, dramatic last-minute goals and saves, and yes, buzzing, monotonous vuvuzelas.

Domestic Organization Capitalizes on iHRIS Manage Software

iHRIS Manage, open source software created to support organizations in developing countries to design and manage a comprehensive human resources strategy, has now found a domestic audience. Recently...

Global Health Solutions Begin with Health Workers

Health workers—community health educators, medical assistants, nurses, midwives, doctors, and others are key to improving people’s lives.

Giving Birth: the Good News

Last week, Time published “The Perils of Pregnancy: One Woman’s Tale of Dying to Give Birth,” a poignant photo essay and article on the grim reality of women dying in childbirth in Sierra Leone. I read the piece with mixed emotions. The images, the tone of the Time article contrasted sharply with everything I heard last week during Women Deliver 2010 conference: family planning use is increasing, child survival is improving, and there have been steady declines in the number of women dying from pregnancy-related causes, according to a recent Lancet article.

Introducing Zulfiya Chariyeva, Intern at IntraHealth

Last week Zulfiya and I discussed what brought her to IntraHealth and the global health field.

Cooperating to Change Lives

None of our work is taking place in a vacuum, and none of us have expertise in all areas that need to be changed to improve people’s lives in low-resource areas. Partnerships that, on the surface, seem unlikely can turn out to be surprisingly supportive of each other.