Analysis of misoprostol and chlorhexidine policy gains in Pakistan: the advocacy experience of Mercy Corps Pakistan

Health Research Policy and Systems
Zahida SarwarJennifer Norman

Abstract

While Pakistan has made progress toward achieving Millennium Development Goal 5 for maternal health, it is unlikely to achieve the target; further, it is also not on track for Millennium Development Goal 4 regarding child health. Two low-cost, temperature stable and life-saving drugs, misoprostol and chlorhexidine, can respectively avert maternal and newborn deaths, and are particularly pertinent for poor and marginalized areas which bear the brunt of maternal and newborn deaths in Pakistan. In response, Mercy Corps led focused advocacy efforts to promote changes in policies, protocols, and regulatory environments for misoprostol (2012-2014) and for chlorhexidine (2014). These short-duration advocacy projects facilitated significant policy gains, such as inclusion of misoprostol and chlorhexidine into province-specific essential drug lists, development and endorsement of clinical protocols for the two drugs by provincial health departments, inclusion of misoprostol into pre-service training curriculum for several health cadres, and application for registration of chlorhexidine (at the concentration required for newborn care) by two pharmaceutical companies. These results were achieved by a consultative and evidence-based proces...Continue Reading

References

Mar 1, 1997·British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology·H el-RefaeyC Rodeck
Oct 8, 1998·British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology·G J HofmeyrB R Gelbart
Oct 28, 1998·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·A A BamigboyeD A Merrell
Aug 4, 1999·Obstetrics and Gynecology·D V SurbekW Holzgreve
Mar 9, 2005·Lancet·Joy E LawnUNKNOWN Lancet Neonatal Survival Steering Team
Jun 22, 2012·Health Policy and Planning·Joy E LawnMikkel Z Oestergaard

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Citations

Feb 12, 2017·The Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care·Harneet Chahal, Zubia Mumtaz

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