A collaboration that help provide partographs for woman in childbirth decreasing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in Malawi.

By: Oveka Mwanza, Miranda Rouse, Luseshelo Simwinga Mumba, and Kimberly Baltzell 

Oveka Jana Mwanza is a state-registered nurse-midwife and co-Director of GAIN in Blantyre District Malawi in partnership with Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA). In this role, she is the maternal, neonatal, child health (MNCH) coordinator for GAIN and GAIA. Oveka has vast experience working in the busiest maternity unit in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and held the position of Safe Motherhood Coordinator for the capital of Malawi. She possesses a Bachelor of Science in nursing and midwifery and a Master of Science in global health delivery from the University of Global Health Equity in Rwanda. She is also an author of a labor, delivery, and early parenthood preparedness audiobook that empowers expectant couples with the knowledge and skills to prepare for and transition smoothly through this aspect of their lives. Currently, Oveka is the principal investigator in a research study that aims to improve the referral process for obstetric emergencies: a midwife-led approach in Blantyre, Malawi under the GAIN project. 

Miranda Rouse is the Program Manager of Global Action in Nursing (GAIN). She has a Bachelor of Science in nutrition from Drexel University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to pursuing her master’s degree, she was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Northwestern Province, Zambia from 2018-2020. While in Zambia, she collaborated on activities related to maternal and child health, nutrition, family planning, and HIV and malaria prevention. Her master’s capstone focused on the provision of abortion in the primary care setting for publicly insured and uninsured individuals. She is passionate about access to quality maternal and neonatal care and reproductive health services, especially for vulnerable populations and adolescents. Her research interests include global reproductive health, maternal and child health, and gender equity. 

Luseshelo Simwinga Mumba is a state registered nurse-midwife and a Nurse midwife educator in-training. she is a passionate midwife currently working as a nurse midwife mentor for the Global Action In Nursing project being implemented by GAIA in Blantyre, Malawi-central Africa. Luseshelo has been working as a bedside midwife, midwife mentor and educator for close to 10 years, coordinated safe motherhood programs and led MNH teams in Quality improvement projects. Luseshelo has a Bachelor of Science in nursing and midwifery from the University of Malawi-Kamuzu College of Nursing and in training for a Master of Science in Nursing and Midwifery Education. 

Kimberly Baltzell is the PI, founding director, and current co-director of Global Action in Nursing (GAIN), situated at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). She is a Professor in the Department of Family Health Care Nursing as well as the Director of Partnerships for UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences and a member of the UCSF Global Cancer Program. Dr. Baltzell works extensively in sub-Saharan African to support the development of nurse leaders. Dr. Baltzell’ s research interests include malaria, non-malarial fevers, and point-of-care diagnostic tools for health providers in remote locations. Her PhD work focused on infectious disease and cancer prevention/development – especially among women.