International Breakthrough in Neonatal Medicine – Norwegian Project Reduced Maternal Mortality by 75%

A major Norwegian research and development program has demonstrated a 75% reduction in maternal deaths and a 40% reduction in newborn deaths in Tanzania. The project is a unique example of how innovation can be scaled through public-private partnerships in development aid. The number of newborns saved equals 20 school classes of 30 students each, thanks to the collaboration between Norway and Tanzania.

The program focused on simulation training and on-the-job practice for healthcare workers in Tanzania. The results exceeded expectations, with a 75% reduction in maternal mortality and a 40% reduction in early neonatal deaths related to childbirth. Over 300,000 mother-child pairs participated in the comprehensive follow-up study of the Safer Births Bundle of Care (SBBC) program.

The program is driven by researchers at the University of Stavanger, Stavanger University Hospital, and Laerdal Global Health, with support from Norad and the Global Financing Facility (World Bank). The results are now influencing international guidelines for treating newborns needing respiratory support and women experiencing postpartum hemorrhage. Findings have been published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

Technology Developed in Norway

The SBBC program combines simulation training, debriefing, and strong mentorship systems, and has been in use since 2021 across five regions in Tanzania. Healthcare workers have learned to use simple tools developed in Norway to help newborns breathe and manage postpartum bleeding. The heart rate monitors Moyo and NeoBeat, developed by Laerdal Global Health in Stavanger in collaboration with SUS and UiS, measure heart rate before and after birth, respectively.

From Low-Resource to High-Resource Settings

“We are now developing AI-based solutions to assist healthcare workers in real-time patient situations with rapid feedback and decision support. These tools will also be valuable in Norwegian hospitals,” says Hege Langli Ersdal, lead researcher, chief physician at SUS, and professor at UiS.

Although the program was developed for low-resource settings, it is equally relevant in high-resource countries. The new heart rate monitors are easy to use and have already been adopted by Western hospitals. Frequent simulation training and immediate debriefing are also being implemented in high-resource hospitals.

Development Aid in Practice

“It is especially gratifying that Norwegian researchers, technology, and aid funding have contributed to this project. Every woman deserves a safe birth, and every newborn has the right to life,” says Development Minister Åsmund Aukrust. “The results from Tanzania clearly show that aid, smart investments, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration can create fantastic change and save many lives.”

One explanation for the strong results is that healthcare workers reported increased confidence, safety, and competence in managing bleeding due to regular simulation training. These findings are now influencing WHO’s new guidelines for training and managing postpartum hemorrhage and newborn resuscitation.

Simple Measures Save Lives

Each year, 140 million babies are born. Up to 10% need help to breathe. If too much time passes before help is given, the baby may suffer long-term damage or die. Researchers emphasize the importance of “The Golden Minute.”

Contacts:

University of Stavanger
Elin Nyberg, Communications Advisor
elin.nyberg@uis.no | +47 971 10 920

Stavanger University Hospital
kommunikasjon@sus.no | +47 477 00 999

Norad
Nina Bull Jørgensen, Senior Advisor
nina.bull.jorgensen@norad.no | +47 997 05 615