FIGO Congress Countdown:Taking stock and moving forward

In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015 1

Congress Countdown! | Melbourne greets the 2015 Executive Board |Focus on Committee and Working Group activities

| GLOWM pays tribute to global ‘Ambassadors’ | Latest on 1000+ OBGYN Project

International Federation ofGynecology and ObstetricsFFIIGGOOFIGO

INSIDE:

communications@figo.orgwww.figo.org September 2015

Secretariat, various projects and the FIGOjournal. I thank the Member Societies that havehelped FIGO to work with governmental andnon-governmental organisations alike, and thedonors who have entrusted us with the funds tocarry out specific projects in many countries. Thishas helped us to work towards achieving theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs), whichare now to be continued as the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs).

The three-year cycleMy term of office as President, and that of myfellow Officers and the Executive Board,concludes at the end of the FIGO Congress inOctober 2015. A new set of Officers (except thePresident Elect and 50 per cent of the ExecutiveBoard) will be elected by the General Assemblyat the Congress. Fifty per cent of ExecutiveBoard members will remain to provide continuity.Such an arrangement will help FIGO to retain its‘corporate memory’, to complete unfinishedbusiness, and to consider new business. The fiveFIGO regions will have proportionaterepresentation, with four seats for regions withmore than 10 countries (Europe, North America,

Latin America, Africa and Eastern Mediterranean,Asia-Oceania), and two for North America. Inaddition, there will be an additional six seats onthe Executive Board for any member countriesnot elected for regional representation. Electionswill be for vacant regional and general seats. Mybest wishes to all the countries that have appliedto be considered for election to the Board.

I have every confidence that the incomingExecutive Board will chart the right direction oftravel through which FIGO can continue tosuccessfully promote women’s sexual andreproductive health and rights. Our President-Elect has stressed his areas of priority to becervical cancer, nutrition and contraception –these new activities will be highlighted, alongsidecurrent activities.

A democratic organisationThe General Assembly elects the Officers and theExecutive Board. The Committeemembership/chairs are not elected, but selectedby the President, with the assistance of theOfficers and existing or incoming Committee

FIGO Executive Board 2015 (Melbourne, Australia, May 2015)

Dear ColleaguesMy sincere thanks for helping me over the lastthree years to serve as your President. I havebeen greatly assisted by the firm groundwork laidby my predecessor, Professor Gamal Serour(Egypt). I also had unstinting support from theFIGO Officers: President-Elect, ProfessorChittaranjan Narahari Purandare (India); VicePresident, Professor Ernesto Castelazo Morales(Mexico); Honorary Secretary, Professor GianCarlo Di Renzo (Italy); Honorary Treasurer,Professor Wolfgang Holzgreve (Switzerland); andChief Executive, Professor Hamid Rushwan(Sudan/UK). It was also a distinct pleasure towork with the FIGO Executive Board, whichgenerated a number of excellent ideas tocarefully steer the activities of the organisation.

The staff of FIGO, led by the senior managementteam – Professor Hamid Rushwan (ChiefExecutive), Bryan Thomas (past AdministrativeDirector), Sean O’Donnell (current AdministrativeDirector), Marie-Christine Szatybelko (CorporateAffairs Director) and Paul Mudali (FinanceDirector), command our admiration for thetremendous work they do in overseeing the continued on page 2

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FIGO Congress Countdown: Taking stock and moving forwardcontinued from page 1

In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 20152

chairs. Consideration is given to regional andgender balance in the selection process, and theExecutive Board then endorses therecommendations.

At the request of the Executive Board, thisprocess has been scrutinised. In future, allMember Societies will be requested to proposeup to two names for each Committee, withstatements from the individuals nominatedindicating a willingness to be considered forselection and also providing information on whatprofessional benefits they would bring to theCommittee. The President, President-Elect andthe Committee chair will then select the memberswith gender and geographical balance in mind.The proposed Committee will be approved bythe Executive Board, or a small group of theBoard (yet to be determined). Similar to theExecutive Board – where 50 per cent wouldcontinue – in construction of the Committee, upto 50 per cent may be retained, including theimmediate past chair, to help with the ongoingactivities. This is a major step towardsestablishing a transparent and democraticprocess to select members to FIGO Committees.

Officers interpret the FIGO Constitution andByelaws in the best way possible, and actaccordingly, after informing the Executive Board.Some actions are not visible to all MemberSocieties, if they are not represented by eitherrelevant Officers or have a presence on theBoard. In due course, FIGO will place theminutes of Officers’ and Executive Boardmeetings in a section on the FIGO website(accessible via a secure password) to enable allMember Societies to review decisions taken.

Our thanks to RANZCOG – the FIGOExecutive Board meetingThe Royal Australian and New Zealand College ofObstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) inMelbourne, Australia, graciously hosted the FIGOOfficers’ and Executive Board meetings in lateMay 2015. The arrangements and hospitalitywere splendid. We are most grateful to ProfessorMichael Permezel, RANZCOG President, and histeam of Officers, Executive Council and staff formaking us feel welcome and for sharing theclinical practice and research in the Pacific region(special lectures highlighted issues related to thehealthcare of the ancestors of the land and thatof the people on several islands in the Pacific).We wish RANZCOG well in its endeavors to helpimprove women’s health in this region.

A committed SecretariatThe workload of FIGO has greatly diversified overthe past few years. With a relatively small number

of staff it manages an enormous amount ofvaried activities, which include Officers’ andExecutive Board meetings; advocacy;implementation of projects; quality monitoringand quality assurance of projects; financialcontrol; reporting to the Charity Commission(regarding FIGO’s obligations); and maintaining aJournal and other communications. The recentappointment of the Senior Management Teamwill help us to better coordinate activities. TheExecutive Board has also endorsed the view thatwe could appoint an overarching Project Directorto oversee all projects – this is to be discussedand finalised in the near future.

Countdown to October 2015The hearts and minds of thousands ofobstetricians and gynecologists are focused onthe forthcoming FIGO World Congress inVancouver, from 4–9 October 2015. ProfessorJoanna Cain (World Congress ScientificCommittee Chair) and Dr Nozer Sheriar (Co-chair) are working closely to produce an excellentprogramme. Dr Abd Aziz Yahya (OrganisingCommittee Chair), Dr Dianne Miller (LocalCongress Organising Committee Chair) and MsMarta Collins (FIGO Events and MeetingsManager) are liaising with our professionalorganisers, International Conference Services(ICS), to ensure that the conference participantshave a stimulating and rewarding experience. Iwelcome you all and hope to see you inVancouver.

Achieving objectives – the FIGOCommittees and Working GroupsI am delighted to report that all Committees andWorking Groups have achieved what they set outto do at the beginning of their terms – for this Iam truly grateful to the Chairs and the Committeemembers. Details of these achievements will begiven in the next FIGO Three-Year Report, whichwill be released at the Congress in October.

Partners, donors and MemberSocietiesWithout the enormous support of our donors, wewould not be able to achieve FIGO’s objectives.Our collaborators are our core strength and wewish to continue to have their close associationand support. Above all, FIGO owes a great debtof gratitude to its Member Societies, who havefreely provided their valuable intellect and time tobenefit the organisation.

As part of strengthening our relationship withMember Societies I attended the annualcongress of the Mozambique society in May2015. The national team – led by Dr Nafissa

Osman – held an excellent meeting, withcolleagues from Portugal participating in thescientific sessions. I also had the opportunity ofmeeting with the Honourable Minister of Healthand visiting the large teaching hospital in Maputo.We hope to work together with March of Dimesbecause of the country’s high prematurity rate,with a first meeting scheduled for the end ofSeptember.

In early June I represented FIGO at the Asia &Oceanic Federation of O&G (AOFOG) conferencein Kuching, Malaysia. The President, Dr KurianJoseph, the Secretary General, ProfessorWalfrido W Sumpaico, and the Vice President, DrRavi Chandran, made sure that there wereseveral speakers to represent FIGO. It was ahugely successful meeting, with over 3,000delegates, and it was extremely rewarding to seethe advances in clinical care in most of thecountries in the region.

In July I attended the ‘High Risk Pregnancy’meeting in Hyderabad organised by theFederation of Obstetric and GynaecologicalSocieties of India (FOGSI). Dr Shantha Kumari,FOGSI Past Vice President, and an organisingchairperson, did an excellent job in helping toattract nearly 3,000 delegates. The hospitalitywas commendable, and the scientific meetingsof exceptionally high calibre. Events such asthese will surely help practitioners improve thecare they give to women.

SDGs – the unfinished businessThe introduction of Sustainable DevelopmentGoals (SDGs) by the world leaders at the UnitedNations is a reflection of much unfinishedbusiness. FIGO has to play a considerable part inhelping to actualise the SDGs – special attentionshould be paid to issues related to gender-basedviolence and discrimination of the girl child, rightthrough to equal access to nutrition, health andeducation. FIGO has to work with like-mindedorganisations to eliminate all forms of violenceagainst women. This is an uphill struggle. EachMember Society has to do what it can; likewise,as individuals, we have to do what we can. Ourcontinuing work to reduce morbidity andmortality will be a tangible reflection of our deeplyheld vision that women of the world achieve thehighest possible standards of physical, mental,reproductive and sexual health and wellbeingthroughout their lives.

Looking to the futureFIGO will now be led by a new team of Officersand Executive Board members, ably steered bymy successor, Professor CN Purandare, who hasdecades of experience in leading largeprofessional organisations. The in-house team ofFIGO is stable, strong and dedicated, and thestaff work beyond the call of duty.

I am confident that women globally will continueto benefit from the successful activities of FIGO.To all Member Societies: if you have not yetsettled your subscription to FIGO this year,please do so. Full payment of Societymembership fees is necessary to enable youto vote at the General Assembly. In addition,these funds are a critical component of FIGO’sreserves, without which our work for women andchildren is difficult to achieve. Your kind co-operation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for your support and yourdedication, which I know you will give inabundance to the new President.

With best wishes.

Professor Sir Sabaratnam ArulkumaranFIGO President (2012–2015)

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

FIGO Officers’ Meeting (Melbourne, Australia, May 2015)

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S OVERVIEW

In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015 3

at the International Confederation of Midwives’5th Regional Conference of the Americas. Thiswas a most important gathering, with a timelytheme: ‘Invest in Healthy Pregnancy; Invest inMidwives’. As the world moves on from theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) towardsthe new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),FIGO urges its Member Societies, and othercollaborating organisations, to work togetherthrough complementary professional strengthsand effective networking to help improve thequality and availability of midwifery servicesacross the world.

Vancouver meetings

I have several trips scheduled before the WorldCongress in October: firstly to Khartoum, inAugust, for a meeting to plan continuedcollaboration with Olympus Surgical Technologieson the establishment of an African training centrefor Minimally Invasive Surgery; secondly to AddisAbaba, in early September, for a meeting of theFIGO Fistula Training Initiative; and finally to NewYork, in late September, to attend the UNGeneral Assembly and also various meetingswith UN agencies to discuss FIGO business.

I wish you all safe travels to the Congress. Theevent is such a unique opportunity to take stockof the valuable work being performed bythousands of healthcare professionals worldwidefor the benefit of women and children on everycontinent. Their health and wellbeing will continueto be our focus as we move into the new era ofthe SDGs and beyond.

Best wishes

Professor Hamid RushwanFIGO Chief Executive

FIGO HouseWaterloo Court, 10 Theed StreetLondon SE1 8ST, UKTel: +44 20 7928 1166Fax: +44 20 7928 7099Email: figo@figo.org

The International Federation of Gynecology andObstetrics is a UK Registered Charity (No 1113263;Company No 5498067) registered in England andWales. The Registered Office is shown above.

Administrative Director:Sean O’Donnell

FIGO Officers:

President:Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran (United Kingdom)

President-Elect:Professor Chittaranjan Narahari Purandare (India)

Past-President:Professor Gamal Serour (Egypt)

Vice President:Professor Ernesto Castelazo Morales (Mexico)

Honorary Secretary:Professor Gian Carlo Di Renzo (Italy)

Honorary Treasurer:Professor Wolfgang Holzgreve (Switzerland)

Chief Executive:Professor Hamid Rushwan (Sudan/UK) (Ex-officio)

Readers are invited to refer items for consideration byemail to communications@figo.org no later than Friday 16 October 2015 for the next issue.

The views expressed in articles in the FIGO Newsletterare those of the authors and do not necessarily reflectthe official viewpoint of FIGO.

Produced and edited by Alexandra Gilpin at the FIGOSecretariat © FIGO 2015.

International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

L–R: Dr John C Jennings (Immediate Past President, ACOG); Professor Lesley Regan (Chair of the FIGO Committee forWomen’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights); Professor Hamid Rushwan (FIGO Chief Executive); and Professor Luis Cabero-Roura (Chair of the FIGO Committee for Capacity Building in Education and Training) (ACOG Congress, USA, May 2015)

Dear ColleaguesI hope you have had a productive few monthsworking on your respective valuable activities.

The next FIGO World Congress (4–9 October2015) is now almost upon us! – the beautiful cityof Vancouver is eagerly anticipating the arrival ofthousands of obstetricians and gynecologists,and other healthcare professionals, from acrossthe globe. The Congress Scientific Programme isa truly ground-breaking blend of panels,workshops and interactive sessions which willprovide attendees with the latest advances inquality care for women in every resource setting.If you have not already registered to attend,please do so today: visit www.figo2015.org.Please note that on-site registration is readilyavailable.

Spotlight on maternal nutritionIn April, I represented FIGO at the 24th AnnualMeeting of the Saudi Obstetrics & GynecologySociety Conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, topresent on ‘Maternal Nutrition: A Global Overview(and the FIGO Initiative)’. FIGO continues to worktirelessly through its Global Maternal NutritionGuidelines project to highlight the importance ofhaving evidence-based guidelines on maternalnutrition, from pre-conception to the post-partumperiod, in collaboration with obstetricians andgynecologists and other key healthcareprofessionals and workers. We look forward tolaunching FIGO’s Guidelines at the Congress, thefruits of many months of hard work andcollaboration.

During May, I attended the high profile AnnualMeeting of the American Congress ofObstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in SanFrancisco, USA. ACOG is a most valued MemberSociety of FIGO and I would like to thankcolleagues for their unwavering commitment toFIGO’s work. While in the city, I took theopportunity, together with Lord Naren Patel,

Chair of the FIGO Fistula Committee, to meetwith Kate Grant, Chief Executive Officer of theFistula Foundation, one of our valued donors.The FIGO Fistula Fellowship Training Programmegoes from strength to strength – it would simplynot be possible without the support anddedication of Kate and her committed team.

Our thanks to RANZCOGThe FIGO Executive Board met in Melbourne inlate May (see page five for more details). Thisannual FIGO meeting is of great importance tothe smooth running of our organisation, bringingtogether the bedrock of FIGO membership. Theevent was a tremendous success – I would liketo thank the FIGO Member Society The RoyalAustralian and New Zealand College ofObstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)for hosting the meeting superbly.

In June, alongside other colleagues, I attended aCongress site visit to Vancouver. As we come tothe culmination of three years’ hard work, it isgood to know that the Congress and all itsassociated activities are in the safe hands of therespective Committees.

Putting the case for midwivesIn July I travelled to Suriname, in South America,to present on a FIGO-Gynuity Misoprostol panel

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PEOPLE

4 In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

Professor Mark HansonProfessor Hanson, tell us a littleabout your professional backgroundMy background is in basic science, particularly infoetal and neonatal development and the ways inwhich environment influences such as nutritionaffect this development, with long-termconsequences for the risk of non-communicabledisease. I trained as a physiologist and a teacher,and am currently British Heart FoundationProfessor at the University of Southamptonwhere I am the founding Director of the Instituteof Developmental Sciences. I was one of thefounders of the International Society for theDevelopmental Origins of Health and Disease(DOHaD), of which I am President, and I haveconsulted and advised a range of governmentand non-government organisations in this areaglobally. I have produced a range of books withcolleagues internationally, from textbooks topopular science, the most recent being Nutrition& Lifestyle for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding (withAnne Bardsley, Peter Gluckman and Chong YapSeng, OUP, 2014).

How did you become involved inFIGO’s Global Maternal NutritionGuidelines Initiative?I was honoured to be asked to chair the grouppreparing the FIGO Guidelines on Adolescent,Preconception and Maternal Nutrition, to be

Professor Mark Hanson is currently chairing thegroup preparing the FIGO Guidelines onAdolescent, Preconception and MaternalNutrition, to be launched at the FIGO WorldCongress in Vancouver, in October.

launched at the FIGO World Congress inOctober. The Guidelines highlight the importanceof balanced nutrition during those critical periodsof the life course, for both the woman and herdeveloping baby.

Why is the issue of maternalnutrition so important to healthcareproviders?Poor nutrition, involving under- and over-nutritionand deficiencies of key nutrients, is a majorchallenge globally. It affects a wide range oforgans and systems, predisposing to laterchronic disease. The Guidelines give specificrecommendations aimed at meeting thischallenge which should be adoptedsystematically and widely, taking account of localcultural and other contextual factors.

Adopting and implementing the Guidelinesshould be a priority for healthcare providers at alllevels, for health policy makers and for parents-to-be and families. One of the major themesemphasised in the FIGO Guidelines is theimportance of good nutrition in adolescents andin women and their partners before conception,as well, of course, as in pregnancy and post-partum.

FIGO is committed to making a real difference tothe prevention of poor nutrition globally. We needto Think Nutrition First!

New Project Assistantjoins the SecretariatMatthew Pretty has joined the FIGOSecretariat, taking up a new positionoverseeing FIGO’s Working Group on Pre-term Birth. Professor Rushwan said:‘The activities of our Pre-Term BirthWorking Group are expanding at a greatrate, and Matthew has been appointed tokeep all administrative arrangements incheck. We welcome him warmly to theFIGO family.’

Matthew Pretty, Project Assistant

Matthew holds a BA in Applied SocialSciences from the University of York andjoins FIGO having previously worked across anumber of projects at the largest medicalcollege in the UK, the Royal College ofGeneral Practitioners. He has also worked fora sexual and reproductive health NGO in aSouth African township, and at the RoyalCollege of Obstetricians and Gynaecologistsin London, as well as in programmefundraising for an international developmentcharity.

He commented: ‘I’m really excited to havejoined FIGO at what is a really interestingtime. I greatly look forward to supporting theFIGO Working Group on Pre-term Birth in itshugely varied activities.’

FIGO represented at high profile Human Reproduction MeetingProfessor Gamal Serour, FIGO Immediate Past-President, together with FIGO colleagues,attended the 28th Meeting of the Policy and Coordination Committee, theUNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and ResearchTraining in Human Reproduction, which was held at WHO headquarters in Geneva from 25–26June 2015.

The meeting discussed various important issues including the integrative rights-based approach toreproductive and sexual health research, policy and programmes; the impact of medical abortionon women’s health; and the evidence for interventions/programmes in the improvement ofadolescent sexual and reproductive health.

FIGO had a very high profile in the meeting and interacted positively regarding all issues discussed,as its core activities were aligned with many agenda items.

Professor Anibal Faúndes, Chair of the FIGO Working Group for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion,delivered a presentation on medical abortion and Professor Fernando Zegers, member of the FIGOCommittee for Reproductive Medicine, spoke on the rights to infertility management. Together withProfessor Serour, and Dr David Adamson, the FIGO Reproductive Medicine Committee Chair (who

was attending in his capacityas Chair of the InternationalCommittee MonitoringAssisted ReproductiveTechnologies – ICMART),the various activities of FIGOwere strongly highlightedand well received.

The role of professionalorganisations at global,regional and country levels inimplementing the guidelinesand recommendations ofWHO/HRP/RHR wasemphasised. The standingcommittee proposed to thePCC the re-election ofProfessor Serour as amember of STAG (theScientific and TechnicalAdvisory Group) for anotherthree-year term, which wasunanimously approved andaccepted.(Article prepared with thanks toProfessor Gamal Serour, FIGOImmediate Past-President)

L–R: Dr Fernando Zegers; Professor Joe Leigh Simpson; Dr Sheryl Vanderpoel;Professor Gamal Serour; Dr David Adamson; Dr Richard H Reindollar

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5

Melbourne welcomes FIGO Executive Board 2015

FIGO NEWS

The 2015 FIGO Executive Board meeting washosted by the Royal Australian and NewZealand College of Obstetricians andGynaecologists (RANZCOG) and held at theMelbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre,Melbourne, Australia.

RANZCOG, a longstanding FIGO MemberSociety, has a vision of ‘Excellence in women’shealth’ and its mission is threefold:• ‘The RANZCOG will achieve its vision byinnovative training, accreditation andcontinuing education supported by activeassessment of the effectiveness of thoseprograms.

• The College will actively support andcommunicate with fellows, members andtrainees in order to ensure that they arecapable, physically, psychologically andprofessionally, of providing the higheststandards of care.

• The College will support research into women’shealth and will act as an advocate for women'shealth care, forging productive relationships

with individuals, the community andprofessional organisations both locally andinternationally’(SOURCE: www.ranzcog.edu.au)

This important annual meeting enabled FIGO’selected Officers and Executive Board membersto come together to take clear decisions onimportant matters affecting the running of theorganisation. The Board meets at least onceevery year, is elected by free vote at the GeneralAssembly, and its members compriserepresentatives of 24 national societies and thesix Officers.

As is traditional, in addition to the main Boardand Officers’ meetings, FIGO took theopportunity to hold a number of sidemeetings/events, including those for the Auditand Finance Committee, the Capacity Building inEducation and Training Committee, site visits tothe internationally recognised Mercy Hospital forWomen, Monash Medical Centre and RoyalWomen’s Hospital, and a special FIGO-RANZCOG educational seminar.

Professor Hamid Rushwan, FIGO ChiefExecutive, said: ‘The traditional educationalseminar held at Board meetings is one of themost useful activities of the FIGO calendar,updating the Board not only on FIGO activities,but also highlighting specific ob/gyn activities inthe host country. In this case, there were

The FIGO President presents the RANZCOG President with a token of FIGO’s appreciation

L–R: Professor Hamid Rushwan (FIGO Chief Executive);Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran (FIGO President);Professor Michael Permezel (RANZCOG President); theHon Jill Hennessy MP (Minister for Health); guest; andProfessor Luis Cabero-Roura (Chair of the FIGOCommittee for Capacity Building in Education and Training)

In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

(courtesy of RANZCOG)

The FIGO President introduces the RANZCOG Educational Seminar

Success! – Misoprostolfor the treatment of PPHis listed on the WHO’sEssential Medicines ListThe World Health Organization (WHO) hasreleased the report [May 2015] of the 20thExpert Committee on the Selection andUse of Essential Medicines – theapplication for the inclusion of misoprostolon the Model List of Essential Medicines(EML) for the additional indication oftreating post-partum hemorrhage whenoxytocin is not available or cannot be usedsafely was accepted.

Jessica Morris, the FIGO MisoprostolInitiative’s Project Manager, said: ‘Thanks toall of you who sent in your own letters ofsupport or signed the FIGO letter of support,which included the signatures of over 150organisations and individuals from across theglobe. This is really great news as the EMLprovides an internationally recognisable setof selected medicines which helps countrieschoose how to treat their priority healthneeds.

‘Inclusion on this list enables many countriesto develop their own national EML, assistsnational decision-makers in reducing costsby identifying priority medicines, and plays animportant advocacy role for non-governmental organisations to try to makethese priority medicines available andaccessible. This ultimately helps to expandthe range of available options to treat post-partum haemorrhage.’

You can access the report and the 2015EML through these links:• Report of the 20th WHO ExpertCommittee on the Selection and Use ofEssential Medicines 2015 (www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/Executive-Summary_EML-2015_7-May-15.pdf)

• 2015 WHO Model List of EssentialMedicines (www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/EML2015_8-May-15.pdf)

fascinating presentations from Dr Marilyn Clarkeand Dr Jacqueline Boyle on “Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Women's Health” and fromDr Alec Ekeroma on “O&G in the Pacific”.’

Professor Rushwan continued: ‘We would like toconvey our sincere thanks to the College andespecially to Professor Michael Permezel,RANZCOG President, and his close colleagues,for their sterling work in hosting such asuccessful event which we know was greatlyenjoyed and appreciated by the Board andOfficers.’

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FIGO COMMITTEES– UPDATE ON CURRENT ACTIVITIES

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FIGO Committee for Capacity Building inEducation and Trainingchaired by Professor Luis Cabero-RouraCommittee priorities include:• Promoting the educational objectives of FIGO in the field of women’ssexual and reproductive health and rights.

The Committee promotes FIGO’s educationalobjectives in the field of women’s sexual andreproductive health worldwide and developstraining and capacity building programmes forprofessionals involved in the field of women'ssexual and reproductive health, includingreproductive rights. There are many areas,especially in low-resource countries, in whichtraining different levels of women’s healthcareprofessionals can be improved so that betteroutcomes can be achieved for the care ofwomen, especially with respect to maternal andneonatal morbidity and mortality. To achieve thesegoals, the Committee acts by organisingmeetings, workshops, courses and training

courses, participating in relevant national, regional and internationalmeetings and activities promoting women’s health, and organising FIGOregional meetings on a different continent every year. The topics for thesemeetings are in accordance with FIGO’s objectives and goals.

The Committee’s activities, according to its Terms of Reference, are carriedout in collaboration with FIGO Member Societies. All those involvedrecognise that the education, preparation and training of professionals isessential to the improvement of women's sexual and reproductive healthindicators. During the latest FIGO Executive Board meeting held inMelbourne in May 2015, we reported that in the first six years theCommittee has actioned 71 activities in more than 25 countries, with aparticipation of more than 8,000 attendees and 450 speakers from 29countries.

Developing a competent health promotion workforce is a key component ofcapacity building for the future, and is critical to delivering on the vision,values and commitments of global health promotion.

by Professor Luis Cabero-Roura

FIGO Committee for Fistulachaired by Lord Naren PatelCommittee priorities include:• Producing effective proposals for the possible expansion andenhancement of the invaluable work undertaken in the prevention andtreatment of fistula.

I’m delighted that the FIGO Fistula SurgeryTraining Programme is continuing to expand, withalmost 50 surgical Fellows currently being trainedas fistula surgeons using the FIGO and partners’Global Competency-Based Fistula SurgeryTraining Manual. The initiative is also generatingsignificant interest, with Fellows from countriesnew to the Programme, such as the Gambia,Chad and Afghanistan, as well as a new TeamTraining Initiative being piloted with support fromHamlin Fistula Ethiopia and the CCBRT Hospital inTanzania.

In addition, there has been a series of keystrategic meetings, including six ‘Training theTrainer’ courses to instruct almost 50 expert

fistula surgeons in how to train others using the Training Manual, and a two-day Review Meeting in 2014, to determine the progress and future directionof the Programme. Looking forward, other events are planned for 2015,including a focused gathering of the first 12 Fellows to hear about theirexperiences, and to discuss how best to develop their fistula work in theirhome countries.

The FIGO World Congress also provides a unique opportunity to showcasethe Fellow Training Programme, as well as to bring together key partnersfrom the fistula world, with a successful stakeholder meeting taking place inthe 2012 Congress in Rome, and a similar Fistula Forum event planned inthe 2015 Congress, as well as an Expert Fistula Panel involving two Trainersand two Trainees from the Training Programme.

In the future, the Fistula Surgery Training Programme will continue to evolve,with more Fellows and teams trained (including assisting trainees to obtainhigher levels of competency), supportive mentoring visits to existing Fellows,and more accredited Training Centres established. FIGO will also continue todevelop training materials and strengthen the training process so that morewomen suffering from fistula receive high quality treatment in the future.

by Lord Naren Patel

In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

Professor Luis Cabero-Roura

Lord Naren Patel

FIGO Committee for the Ethical Aspectsof Human Reproduction and Women’sHealthchaired by Professor Bernard DickensCommittee priorities include:• Recommending guidelines on ethical problems in training, education,science and the practice of obstetrics and gynecology.

The Committee met in March 2015 to complete12 projects, including updating some earlierstatements. Particular concerns are professionalreactions to the health consequences of child andadolescent marriage, and adolescent pregnancy.At the other end of the age spectrum are newrecommendations on the management ofmenopause and women’s post-reproductive lives.Pervading concerns across ages are ethicalguidance on responses to violence that patientsevidence, but do not necessarily explain. Relatedare recommendations on patients victimised bysexual assault. Underlying concerns are that theircare might be delayed or affected by how law-enforcement teams’ priorities to acquire forensic

evidence might conflict with service providers’ priorities to treat and comfortinjured women.

A further related topic concerns the ethical care of sex workers, views ofwhom have evolved from seeing them as offenders against their societies’moral order to regarding them predominantly as victims of exploitation andoppression, more offended against than offending. Professional challengesare to treat them non-judgmentally, with respect for the claim to dignity anddue care that they share with all other women.

Recommendations on cosmetic genital surgery arose from concerns at the2012 Rome Congress on promoting and satisfying demands for non-therapeutic services, and gynecologists’ acquisition of skills, sensitivities andawareness of contra-indications in cosmetic surgery. Furtherrecommendations, for instance on conflict of interest, including relationshipswith industry, and patients’ refusal of recommended treatment, arepublished in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics [FIGO’sjournal], and on www.figo.org. Recommendations on treating familymembers and close friends, and on assessing ethical and peer reviewstandards of medical journals, are pending publication.

by Professor Bernard Dickens

FIGO Committee on GynecologicOncologychaired by Professor Lynette DennyCommittee priorities include:• Staging• Molecular Staging• The FIGO Cancer Report• HPV-related diseases• Educational tools

The Gynecologic Oncology Committee has beenvery active in the past three years. It has writtenthree articles for publication (one on the newstaging of ovarian, fallopian tube and peritonealcancer; another on Hereditary GynecologyCancers; and another on the safety of the HPVVaccination).

The Committee also created the FIGO CancerReport with chapters on staging and clinicalmanagement guidelines, written by members ofthe Committee, as well as other world experts.The first report was presented at the RomeCongress in 2012, and the second has beenupdated and will be presented at the VancouverCongress.

In addition, the Committee has formed a collaboration with the CatalanInstitute of Oncology, Barcelona, to develop a situational analysis of theresources available to women with gynecological cancer globally, butparticularly those affiliated to FIGO, with a focus on low- and middle-incomecountries. This situational analysis will be used to select institutions toprovide FIGO with site-specific cancer, treatment and survival data. Theanalysis was sent to over 100 institutions and an additional 100 societies,and is still in progress.

Going forward, the Committee will work to develop a classification ofendometrial hyperplasia; update the data on HPV vaccination safety; anddevelop an app for FIGO site-specific cancer staging.

by Professor Lynette Denny

Professor Bernard Dickens

Professor Lynette Denny

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7In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

FIGO COMMITTEES– UPDATE ON CURRENT ACTIVITIES

FIGO Committee for Menstrual Disordersco-chaired by Professor Ian FraserCommittee priorities include:• Maintaining a small core group of experienced individuals to provide aninternational review and recommendation process around developingissues in the fields of menstruation and menstrual disorders.

The FIGO Menstrual Disorders Working Group wasestablished in 2006 and initially undertook a seriesof activities based on clarifying the terminologies,definitions and causes of abnormal uterinebleeding (AUB). This field of gynecology was quiteconfused at that time, in spite of the fact that thesesymptoms of AUB were among the commonestthat any gynecologist or general practitioner waslikely to see! The Working Group developed aseries of simple language terminologies anddefinitions of symptoms to replace much older andconfusing nomenclature (FIGO recommendations

published in 2007), and then defined a simple and very successfulclassification of underlying causes of abnormal uterine bleeding using themnemonic ‘PALM-COEIN’ (Published in 2011).

The Working Group became a full standing FIGO Committee in 2012, andsince then has focused on developing a series of sub-classifications of thecauses of AUB for specialised and research purposes, as well as contributingvery widely to international workshops on clinically relevant aspects of AUB.

In parallel with practical publicity and educational workshops and lectures theCommittee has evaluated and developed work around questionnaires toassess quality of life in women with AUB, and also clinical assessment ofAUB itself. Focus has continued on the frequent occurrence of acute andsevere presentations of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), especially insocieties with limited health resources. This presentation is typicallyassociated with iron deficiency anaemia, and interest in this aspect of HMBhas revealed that iron deficiency is very common in all women with HMB,even in the absence of associated anaemia. Iron deficiency itself may causevery troublesome symptoms of lethargy, slowed mental function and inabilityto undertake daily tasks efficiently.

Members of the Committee will be addressing many of these important andnovel clinical aspects at the forthcoming FIGO World Congress.

by Professor Ian S Fraser (Co-Chair with Professor Hilary Critchley andProfessor Malcolm Munro)

FIGO Committee for Safe Motherhood andNewborn Healthchaired by Professor William StonesCommittee priorities include:• Acting as a focal point for all FIGO activities related to safe motherhoodand newborn health.

For the FIGO Safe Motherhood and NewbornHealth Committee, the preoccupation has beenwith quality of care: members are acutely aware ofthe missed opportunities for improving access toservice and outcomes for mothers and babies thatresult from poor quality of care. Whether in themanagement of post-partum haemorrhage,assuring best evidence-based delivery care,deploying an appropriate approach to intrapartummonitoring or perhaps, most importantly, incombining respectful woman-centred care with thebest available evidence-based clinical practice,

healthcare professionals can make a real difference. Women will make use ofservices that they recognise to be of high quality with provision in line withtheir psychosocial and cultural needs, and staff will find working in such unitsrewarding.

Sadly, in many settings, women avoid using maternity services because ofdisrespect and fear of being subjected to unnecessary interventions.Clinicians working in such settings are at risk of becoming overloaded anddesensitised, with a loss of professional values and motivation, and are onlytoo likely to seek alternative clinical roles.

At the forthcoming Congress, our Committee is putting forward sessions onpost-partum haemorrhage and on antenatal steroids in pre-term birth. Wealso present the launches of a new Lancet series on stillbirth and the newFIGO intrapartum monitoring guidelines. For all these topics, the commontheme is quality – attention to detail in ensuring that basic steps in clinicalcare are consistently followed, and that women’s experience of care is takenvery seriously as an integral part of maternity care, not an optional extra.Through this focus, women will come and receive the care they require, andthose missed opportunities to ensure safety and good outcomes will beavoided.

by Professor William Stones

FIGO Committee for Reproductive Medicinechaired by Dr David AdamsonCommittee priorities include:• Developing evidence-based, culturally sensitive, cost-effective policies,guidelines and tools that are accepted as standards for increasing accessto quality reproductive medical care in all countries of the world.

The FIGO Committee for Reproductive Medicinehas been very active. The production version ofThe FIGO Fertility Toolbox™ has been completedand will be officially launched at the WorldCongress in Vancouver. The Toolbox is anelectronic, evidence-linked tool created for globalmobile, iPad and laptop use. It consists of sevenTools that all stakeholders affected by infertilitycan use: healthcare professionals, patients, familyand friends of the infertile, and policymakers. Theseven tools are: Why should I care aboutinfertility?; Overcoming Personal Barriers;

Overcoming Societal Barriers; Diagnosis; Treatment; Referral andResolution; and Prevention.

The seven Tools are described in three separate sections: the Basic Tool,which provides a brief overview; the Support Tool which recommends indetail actions to take with respect to 64 specific fertility issues; and theReference Tool, which provides 131 highest-quality evidence documentationto support the recommendations. Furthermore, the 64 actions that arerecommended in the Tool are tiered or laddered so that many can beperformed in the lowest-resource settings, others in primary care settings,and a few in secondary or tertiary settings. The Toolbox is aimed at nursesand other mid-level providers, but is comprehensive and detailed enough tobe used by anyone from a patient to a sophisticated infertility expert. It willbe presented at the World Congress on Thursday 8 October at 9.55am.Additionally, there will be sessions on global infertility on Wednesday 7October and endometriosis on Tuesday 6 October.

Professor Gamal Serour, Committee Member, and I attended the WorldHeath Organization (WHO) Policy and Coordination Committee (PCC)meeting in Geneva in June, where another Committee member, DrFernando Zegers, spoke on infertility. The PCC specifically recognised theimportance of infertility to public health and the need for WHO to continuetheir work in this field.

by Dr David Adamson

FIGO Committee for Women’s Sexual andReproductive Rightschaired by Professor Lesley ReganCommittee priorities include:• Educating and increasing awareness among ob/gyn professionals aboutwomen’s sexual and reproductive rights.

Six years ago, the Committee received a dauntingchallenge: to develop a globally accessiblecurriculum in women’s health and rights. A newteam of clinicians, educators and human rightslawyers took an innovative approach to improvethe way in which professionals at all levels – fromstudents to practitioners, nurses and physicians –learn how to provide respectful high qualityreproductive healthcare. By focusing on universalhuman rights and building from personalexperience to concepts of rights and health, eventhe most sensitive subjects become amenable tothoughtful discussion.

The FIGO Human Rights/Women’s Health (HRWH) project consists of a setof four tools: 1) educational competencies for the design of human rightsand/or women’s health curriculum; 2) checklist of human rights forassessing clinical experiences; 3) 10 case discussions gathered from aroundthe world; and 4) a referenced study guide to support the human rights andclinical practices for each case. These tools are published on the GlobalLibrary of Women’s Medicine website (www.glowm.com) as both web textand downloadable PDFs. They will be shared in workshops at the 2015World Congress in Vancouver.

As the tools were tested, refined and disseminated in conferences aroundthe world, their usefulness became even more apparent. Followingintroductory workshops, students in Zimbabwe now apply the principles toclinical practice; midwives and physicians in India and London worktogether more effectively to advocate for high quality reproductivehealthcare; and women in Philadelphia have become stronger advocates fortheir own rights. Everyone who has used the tools has gained personalinsight about their rights, both those upheld and those breached in thecourse of their personal healthcare encounters.

by Professor Lesley Regan

Professor Ian Fraser Dr David Adamson

Professor William Stones

Professor Lesley Regan

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8 In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

FIGO WORKING GROUPS–UPDATE ON CURRENT ACTIVITIES

FIGO Working Group on Best Practice onMaternal-Foetal Medicinechaired by Professor Gian Carlo Di RenzoThe Group started activities in January 2014, and initial meetings were heldin London and Florence in early and late 2014 respectively.

The presence at meetings of at least one representative from anotherCommittee (eg Safe Motherhood and Newborn Heath) – which may havesimilar topics as a target – has helped to deal with uncovered topics,especially those important to low- and middle-income countries.

To date, the Group has considered, evaluated and produced ‘Best PracticeAdvices’ on the following topics:1) Folic acid supplementation2) Prediction and prevention of pre-term birth3) Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis and testing4) Hyperglycemia in pregnancy5) Thyroid disease in pregnancy6) Ultrasound examination in pregnancy7) Magnesium sulphate use in obstetrics

The first set was approved by the Board in July2014, and published in the International Journal ofGynecology & Obstetrics (IJGO) in January 2015.The second set – approved in May 2015 – hasbeen forwarded for publication.

A third meeting planned for 6 October 2015 at theFIGO Congress in Vancouver will includediscussion on Intrauterine Growth Restriction(IUGR), Nutrition in pregnancy and PretermPremature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM).

To achieve the Group’s full objectives, it isnecessary not only to establish definitivestandards for practice but also to disseminatethese in ways which have a real impact on

ongoing clinical practice, making full use of all communications – eg onlineaccess, mobile/tablet/smartphone applications, traditional print methods –in order to communicate effectively with clinicians. Therefore, the Group’sactivities are highlighted on the Global Library of Women’s Medicine website(www.glowm.com) – FIGO’s official education platform – so thatstatements and recommendations are guaranteed maximum impact withinthe ob/gyn world.

by Professor Gian Carlo Di Renzo

FIGO Working Group for Pre-term Birthchaired by Professor Joe Leigh Simpson

A Collaborative Network on Best Practices to PreventPre-term Birth

After approval by FIGO in July 2014, this newFIGO Working Group was initiated in September2014 with an ambitious brief, and funded by agrant from the March of Dimes. Professor GianCarlo Di Renzo, FIGO Secretary General, is Co-Chair.

Committee members include Professor BoJacobsson (Sweden); Professor Jane Norman,(UK); Professor Mary D'Alton (USA); ProfessorJames Martin (USA); Dr Ernesto Castelazo(Mexico); and Dr Chris Howson (USA). Ex-officiomembers are March of Dimes President DrJennifer Howse; FIGO President Professor SirSabaratnam Arulkumaran; and FIGO ChiefExecutive Professor Hamid Rushwan.

The initial goal is to determine why certain High Income Countries (HIC) havepreterm birth rates disparate from other countries with similar economicindices, similarly trained obstetricians and comparable practice guidelines.Facilitated by the offices of FIGO, patient-specific data were obtained intimely fashion from New Zealand, Slovenia, Czechoslovakia and Sweden; acomparator US state (California) was also interrogated. Using patient-specific registry data, comparisons were made within each of the fourcountries, among the four, and then to a larger group of HIC countries. Infour million pregnancies, differences in risk factors and practice patternswere sought that could explain differences in preterm birth rates.

In order to generate data in time for the FIGO World Congress in Vancouver,October 2015, the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) was contracted to workwith the Group. Results are now in the final stages of analysis, and will bepresented at the Congress on Friday 9 October 2015.

by Professor Joe Leigh Simpson

FIGO Working Group on Challenges inCare of Mothers and Infants duringLabour and Deliverychaired by Professor Roberto Romero

FIGO recognises that birth is a critical andimportant milestone in human life – the transitionbetween intrauterine and extrauterine life is one ofthe most dramatic and fundamental phenomenain biology, and a time of risk for mother and infant.Important questions have emerged about theindications and optimal rate of caesarean delivery,the ideal method to monitor labour progress,oxytocin administration, and management of thetwo most common causes of maternal death:post-partum haemorrhage and infection (clinicalchorioamnionitis).

This Working Group aims to provide advice topractitioners worldwide on the following issues:

• The use of the partogram to monitor labour progress – this is essentialbecause dystocia is the most common cause of caesarean delivery, andits diagnosis is made by monitoring labour progress (changes in cervicaldilatation and station).

• Oxytocin is widely used for the induction of labour and augmentation.However, there is an urgent need for the availability of a standard protocolfor the administration of this agent. The Working Group will generate suchprotocol.

• Clinical chorioamnionitis (infection of the amniotic fluid) is a leading causeof maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The introduction andwide utilisation of epidural anaesthesia/analgesia has increased the rate ofdiagnosis of clinical chorioamnionitis because 10–20 per cent of patientsreceiving an epidural develop a fever. The Working Group aims to reviewthe criteria for the clinical diagnosis and provide advice on themanagement of mothers with this condition.

• In collaboration with the Safe Motherhood and Newborn HealthCommittee, this Group intends to provide advice about new methods anddevelopments to prevent post-partum haemorrhage.

by Professor Roberto Romero

FIGO Working Group on the Prevention ofUnsafe Abortionchaired by Professor Anibal Faúndes

The 46 FIGO Member Societies that take part inthe FIGO Initiative on the Prevention of UnsafeAbortion continue making progress towardsreducing the burden of unsafe abortion and itsconsequences. The FIGO recommendations ofreplacing sharp curettage for Manual VacuumAspiration (MVA) or misoprostol for the treatmentof incomplete abortion have been part of the planof action of every country and some are notincluding it any longer because the task is alreadycompleted.

We have not been equally successful in fulfillinganother FIGO recommendation, that of providingfamily planning counselling and effectivecontraception to every woman admitted for

abortion before she leaves a health facility. This objective has been includedin the plans of action of almost every country for years, but progress hasbeen very slow. Provision and acceptance of long-acting reversiblecontraception is increasing very slowly, testing our working principle of beingpatient and persistent in the process of achieving the intended objectives.

During the last three years the Initiative has also made progress in makingeffective another recommendation of the FIGO Committee for the EthicalAspects of Human Reproduction and Women’s Health, related to providingsafe abortion services to women who comply with the national laws. Severalcountries where women who comply with the law had to seek clandestineand often unsafe abortions are now providing safe abortion servicesaccording to the laws and regulations of the respective country. In summary,the work of FIGO Member Societies in relation to this work has beencommendable.

by Professor Anibal Faúndes

Two FIGO Working Groups – for Gender Violence and Pelvic FloorMedicine and Reconstructive Surgery – are currently undergoing aperiod of restructuring and consolidation. More information will beconfirmed in due course.

Professor Gian Carlo Di Renzo

Professor Joe Leigh Simpson

Professor Roberto Romero

Professor Anibal Faúndes

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9

SPECIAL NEWSThe 1000+ OBGYNs in Sub-Saharan Africa ProjectEnding fistula, preventable stillbirth, maternal and early neonatal mortality through long-term capacity buildingby Frank Anderson, MD, MPH, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan Medical School and director of the 1000+ OBGYN Project.

In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

Comprehensive obstetric and gynecologic carein sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is severely limitedby the dearth of well-trained and certifiedspecialists. Typically, a very small number ofOBGYNs are responsible for training andsupervising medical students, house officersand residents. They are responsible for treatingthe most severe complications referred bymidwives and task-shifted providers who,increasingly, conduct surgery in rural areas. Inaddition, university-based OBGYN faculty mustsupport administrative, research and policyinitiatives. In many countries, these and othervital functions that should be provided by arobust obstetrics and gynecology communitydo not exist or are substituted by problem-focused programmes of non-local NGOs anddonors.

The1000+ OBGYN project emerged, in greatpart, to create new OBGYN capacity in SSA.Discussions at two far-reaching meetings, oneheld in 2012 during the FIGO World Congress inRome, and the other in 2014 at the GhanaCollege of Physicians and Surgeons Conferencein Accra, laid out the problems and solutions.Both meetings were highlighted by thesuccesses in Ghana, where efforts begun in1989to create two OBGYN training programmes – thishas led to the certification of more than 150OBGYNs, of whom 98 per cent have stayed inGhana with increasingly rural distribution.

The 1000+ OBGYN project exists to preventfistula, and end preventable stillbirths, maternaland early neonatal deaths in SSA by advancingthe establishment or strengthening of OBGYNtraining programmes whose trainees andgraduates would provide definitive care for themost severe pregnancy complications. To thisend, it seeks to foster committed, mutuallybeneficial academic partnerships betweenexisting or new OBGYN departments andexperienced OBGYN departments elsewhere,and when such partnerships have proveneffective, it will guide their replication.

Wide distribution of certified OBGYNs is critical. Ifadopted, a national policy that mandates theposting of at least one OBGYN at every districthospital would require that government,universities and hospitals join forces to ensurethat training meets the needs. The project hasidentified 10 critical components of successfulprogrammes: authentic partnership; adequateinfrastructure; curriculum development andharmonisation; faculty development; ruraldeployment; government involvement; researchtraining; ongoing outcomes monitoring; qualityimprovement; and finally certification andprofessional society strengthening.

Training an additional 1000+ in the 14 identifiedcountries would jump start a dynamic process,and create the sustainable networks, in-countrystructures and institutions to continue to supply

the country with an increasing number of trainedspecialists to increasingly rural areas for years tocome.

The 1000+ OBGYN project’s founding meetingsand pilot activities were funded by the FloraFamily Foundation, the Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation, the World Bank, and the Universityof Michigan’s African Studies Center andObstetrics and Gynecology department. Workingin close relationship with FIGO, the Global Libraryof Women’s Medicine [FIGO’s official educationplatform], and the University of Michigan LearningHealth Sciences department, the project hasconsolidated representative, freely available,open-access resources to support OBGYNtraining (www.1000obgyns.org).Plans for the training of an additional 1000+OBGYNs in the next 10 years call for the creationof a co-ordinating networking centre and a grantsprogramme. Bringing together professionalsocieties, expert clinical organisations, and freeonline educational resources, the networking

centre and a robust monitoring system will allowuniversities and hospitals across SSA to accessthe curriculum models, resources, guidelines,and expert advice necessary to create OBGYNdepartments that measurably reduce obstetricfistula, stillbirths and maternal and early neonataldeaths. Dedicated to the partnerships, initialresources from the proposed grants programmewould assist experienced OBGYN departmentalpartnerships in providing faculty developmentand mentorship in service, research andeducation.

The founding documents, plans and links to piloteducational resources are available atwww.1000obgyns.org.

Meet some of theproject’s pioneers andrespond to thechallenge ofeliminatingpreventable maternalmortality by 2030:please join us at the2015 FIGO WorldCongress in Vancouveron Wednesday 7

October from 5.30pm–7.30pm, Room 114–115(Convention Centre West).

For more information, please contact FrankAnderson, MD, MPH, University of MichiganDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology:fwja@med.umich.edu.Photographs courtesy of Frank Anderson

FIGO PROJECT UPDATE: Joining forces to prevent maternal deathsHelping Mothers Survive – Bleeding after Birth project (Donor: The Laerdal Foundation;2014–2016) (in collaboration with the International Confederation of Midwives)

Most of the 287,000 maternal deaths that occur annually during delivery are preventable. Oneessential intervention that is needed is a long-term commitment towards training and equippinghealthcare professionals who serve women during delivery. FIGO and ICM, as leading healthcareprofessionals’ associations, are implementing strategic and sustainable initiatives building thecapacity of obstetricians and midwives to manage post-partum haemorrhage.

One such initiative is the Helping Mothers Survive Bleeding after Birth (HMS-BAB) research project.This is a facility-based, cluster randomised intervention study which aims to examine theeffectiveness of the one-day HMS-BAB training programme in Tanzania. The study is beingimplemented between November 2014 and October 2016.

The intervention: Following Jhpiego’s in-country training of trainers, a set of MasterTrainers will implement one-day, in-facilitytraining to all staff in the selected healthfacilities in the intervention districts. Trainingwill utilise simulation models called MamaNatalies. In addition, and using a ‘low-dose,high-frequency’ approach, clinical mentorsfrom each facility will organise weeklypractice sessions for 6–8 weeks where thetraining content will be reviewed andproviders will use the simulators to practicetheir skills. Training focuses on keyknowledge and skills including: consistent

application of AMTSL, improved monitoring of blood loss, investigations to determine the cause ofthe bleeding, and bimanual compression of the uterus for atonic haemorrhage.

The implementing partners are the Association of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of Tanzania(AGOTA)/Tanzania Registered Midwives� Association (TAMA). Principal Investigator Claudia Hansonsaid: ‘We are pleased to report that our partner organisations have successfully obtained ethicalpermissions for the study, have concluded site visits and selection, are currently conductinginception workshops with stakeholders, and training facility-based staff on data collection. We arelooking forward to collecting quality baseline data on maternal outcomes to which we will be ableto determine the effectiveness of the intervention over the coming months.’

Frank Anderson

Project participants at the 1000+ OBGYN meeting in Accra, Ghana, 2014

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IJGO – from strength to strength, in print and onlineDid you know that a wealth of information on the International Journal of Gynecology andObstetrics (www.ijgo.org; @IJGOLive), FIGO’s specialist journal, is featured onwww.figo.org? Budding authors can review up to date guidance on getting published, andaccess easy links for online submission. Readers can access a comprehensive selection offree-to-view articles, and a special ‘Editor’s Monthly Pick’ where Dr Richard Adanu, Editor,turns the spotlight on a current feature of special interest, provided as ‘open access’.

On a separate note, Clare Addington, Managing Editor, said: ‘IJGO is sad to announce that HelenMetherell, who has been the Journal's Editorial Assistant for the past three years, left FIGO in June.She will be greatly missed and we wish her well in the future as she continues her career inpublishing.’

FIGO RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS

10

A truly co-operative initiative –the continuing outreach of GLOWMby David Bloomer, Publisher, the Global Library of Women’s Medicine (www.glowm.com)

In recent months The Global Library ofWomen’s Medicine (GLOWM), FIGO’s officialeducation platform, has received wonderfulsupport from ob/gyns in Africa and elsewhere,in particular from over 60 who have generouslyvolunteered to become its Ambassadors tohelp make it available wherever there iscurrently no, or slow, internet.

In January 2015, the whole of the Global Librarywas incorporated onto memory sticks whichwere sent to these Ambassadors who thenvisited medical schools, hospitals and clinics intheir localities to download the resources ontolocal computers – the results have beensplendid, and demonstrate once again that thewhole of the programme is a truly co-operativeinitiative that owes everything to its supporters,whether they be writers, contributors, orAmbassadors.

We remain deeply grateful to all those who writefor the Global Library without reward, and equallyto all our new Ambassadors who have given upso much of their time to help make it easilyavailable. Here are extracts from just two

Ambassadors’ reports (many have beenreceived), demonstrating the type of invaluablework that so many of them are undertaking:

From Dr Hala Abdullahi, AssistantProfessor of Ob/Gyn, University ofKhartoum, Faculty of Medicine,Sudan

The GLOWM is anexcellent resource whichis extremely useful andhas proved to be verypopular. I had verypositive commentsabout its contents andits ease of use from ourtrainees at SobaUniversity Hospital, andother users.

The GLOWM library is now downloaded at manyhospitals in Khartoum, including: Soba UniversityHospital; Omdurman Maternity Hospital;Omdurman New Hospital; University of MedicalScience and Technology – postgraduate library;Saad Abulela Teaching Hospital; AcademyCharity Teaching Hospital; and Alahfad UniversityLibrary.

We are in the process of taking it to other cities inSudan, including Hasaheisa Hospital, AlgeinanaTeaching Hospital and Elobied Teaching Hospital.

I have copied Dr Atif Fazari (Consultant Ob/Gyn)

into this email as he has been actively involved inspreading this library into many institutions, andwill facilitate its use in other cities as well. Mythanks are extended to him.

From Dr Francis Ochieng Were,Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

Thank you so much forthis noble mission tokeep health workersinformed on the latesttrends in medicalpractice .You havemade it easy for low-resource countries withunreliable internet tolearn and update theirknowledge. God blessyou abundantly for yourvision.

I am pleased to inform you that, as a GLOWMambassador, I have – to date – downloaded theresource to the following major hospitals inKenya: Aga Khan University Hospital; the MaterHospital; and Meridian Equator Hospital.

Finally, we would additionally like to thank all theFIGO Member Societies around the world whohave also very kindly assisted in distributingadditional copies of the GLOWM memory stick.

[Other Ambassadors’ reports can be read in fullon www.glowm.com; photos and logoscourtesy of GLOWM]

In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

‘One-stop shop’ for thelatest women’s healthnews… the online FIGONewsfeedIt can be difficult for busy healthcareprofessionals to keep up to speed with thelatest global developments – the FIGOWomen’s Health Newsfeed (www.figo.org/news/womens-health-newsfeed) existsfor this very purpose, updating daily, andcollating topical summaries of the world’sbiggest women’s health stories in oneconvenient place. Areas covered includefemale genital mutilation, fertility, gynecologyand technology, gynecology and the law,menopause, newborn health and oncology.

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11In ternat iona l Federat ion of Gynecology and Obstet r ics | September 2015

Diary DatesESSIC (International Society for the Study of BPS) Annual Meeting 201517–19 September 2015, Rome, Italywww.essic.eu30th International PapillomavirusConference & Clinical and Public HealthWorkshops (HPV 2015)17–21 September 2015, Lisbon, Portugalwww.hpv2015.orgCoGEN: Controversies in preconception,preimplantation and prenatal geneticdiagnosis: How will genetics technologydrive the future?25–27 September 2015, Paris, Francewww.comtecmed.com/cogen/2015/Default.aspxMidwifery Today Conference21–25 October 2015, Bad Wildbad, Germanywww.midwiferytoday.com/conferences/Germany2015PCS World Congress of Urology 2015 (WCU-2015)30–31 October 2015, Warsaw, Polandwww.pcscongress.com/wcu201512th World Congress of Perinatal Medicine3-6 November 2015, Madrid, Spainwww.wcpm2015.com

DOHaD Congress 20158–11 November 2015, Cape Town, South Africawww.dohad2015.org44th American Association forGynecological Laparoscopy (AAGL) GlobalCongress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology15–19 November 2015, Las Vegas, USAwww.dohad2015.org AORTIC 2015 10th International Conferenceon Cancer in Africa18-22 November 2015, Marrakech, Moroccowww.aorticconference.org47th International Congress onPathophysiology of Pregnancy19–21 November 2015, Tbilisi, Georgiawww.prenatalmedicine.ge/index.php/en1st Gynecological Congress of Turkish-Speaking Countries19–21 November 2015, Azerbaijan, Bakuwww.1tgc.org7th Ian Donald Ultrasound Course and the 12th Mediterranean Association forUltrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology(MEDUOG) Congress11–13 December 2015, Kifisia, Athenswww.iandonald-meduog2015.mdcongress.gr/index_77.asp?

FIGO accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of the external event information. Inclusion of any event does not necessarily mean that FIGO either endorses or supports it (unless otherwise stated).

FIGO EVENTS

*Low-Resource Countries according to the World Bank classification (see website for further information).**Registrars, trainees and midwives are required to submit an official letter on their Institution’s letterhead OR photocopy of their2015/2016 ID from the Institution where they are studying/working, indicating proof of their status, which can be uploaded at the time ofregistration. Registration will not be processed without receipt of this documentation.

Please note, the FIGO 2015 Organising Committee has made an effort to ensure that registration feesare in line with the previous two FIGO Congresses.

REGULAROn or before

31 August 2015

LATE/ONSITEAfter

31 August 2015

Delegate CAD $1150

CAD $800

CAD $600

CAD $250

CAD $1300

CAD $850

CAD $650

CAD $250

Low-Resource Countries*

Resident/Registrars/Trainees/Midwives/Nurses**

Accompanying Person

FINAL CONGRESSREGISTRATION REMINDER!

Register now: PPHSimulation Workshops atFIGO 2015 Congress!by Dr André Lalonde MD FRCSC(former Chair of the FIGO Safe Motherhoodand Newborn Health Committee, and PPHWorkshops’ Chair)

An exciting programme is being prepared forthe World Congress… a Pre-Congress Post-Partum Haemorrhage (PPH) course on 4October will combine didactic, videos andcase-based discussions for delegates. Amajor portion of the course will be a rotationthrough five stations for hands-on experiencethat includes tamponade experience usingdifferent balloons, rotation to practice uterinecompression sutures, as well as pelvicpacking techniques.

A further station will discuss essential drugsand equipment for PPH management, aswell as resuscitation of a patient inhaemorrhagic shock. The other two stationswill allow the delegates to better assessblood loss, and each delegate will practiceusing the anti-shock garment. Finally, therewill be PPH training with the use of theMamaNatalie birthing simulator. A largeinternational faculty will allow each delegateto experience and practice these techniques.

On Monday (5 October), Tuesday (6 October)and Thursday (8 October) a practicalsimulation programme will be offered in themorning to allow delegates hands-onpractice.

Please visit www.figo2015.org andregister early for these must-seeprogrammes!Dr Lalonde was recently presented with theSociety of Obstetricians and Gynaecologistsof Canada’s (SOGC) President Award 2014,‘…for his outstanding contribution anddedication to the promotion of women’shealth through leadership, collaboration,education, research and advocacy in thepractice of obstetrics and gynecologynationally and internationally’.He is pictured here receiving the honour from DianeFrancoeur, SOGC past president, in Québec City,Canada, June 2015.

It is not too late to register for the FIGO World Congress, the premier global event forobstetricians and gynecologists.

Regular registration is open until 31 August 2015, and late/onsite registration is available after 31August 2015: visit www.figo2015.org/registration-accommodation/registration/ to secure yourplace.

www.facebook.com/FIGO2015Vancouver www.twitter.com/FIGO_2015

SIX WEEKS TO GO!

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