Media Release: UM receives $12.5 million USD from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to transform family planning, maternal and newborn research

UM has received $12.5 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand the globally recognized work of the  Institute for Global Public Health (IGPH). Its researchers have played key roles in developing programs that support life-saving family planning in areas of the world where women face barriers to healthcare. 

“The IGPH team is pleased continue working with healthcare providers to improve health outcomes for women, newborns and their families in these expanded regions,” said Dr. James Blanchard, Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology and Global Public Health and Director of the IGPH,  “Thanks to this significant funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, our team will build new partnerships with local governments and health agencies with the goal of improving family planning practices.” 

In the past 22 years, UM has collectively secured more than $450 million in research dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – the most of any post-secondary institution in Canada.   

“UM is grateful to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for this important support that allows UM to continue to make positive impacts around the world,” said Dr. Mario Pinto, Vice-President (Research and International). “This grant allows Dr. Blanchard’s team to continue its valuable work. Collaborating on data collection from these unique geographies is an important step to furthering efforts that remove constraints and close gaps in the health care systems and improve the lives of women and their children across the globe.” 

Project leads will work with local governments  to  better understand health system limitations including the availability, utilization and quality of family planning, maternal, newborn and child health services or supplies in regions including the countries of Senegal and Cote D’Ivoire, the Kano, Kaduna and Lagos states of Nigeria, and Sindh province of Pakistan.  

In this one-year project, researchers will visit 8,000 public and private health facilities including hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, and work with doctors, nurses and community health workers. They will assess family planning services, supply needs and key components of the health systems including human resources, supply chain management and data management. Once the data has been collected and analyzed, it will be presented to local governments in the regions to help collaborate on further improvements to health care systems.

You can learn more about the IGPH researchers, partnerships and regions where they work and view videos at UM’s Institute for Global Public Health.  

Outcomes from similar work in India

Since IGPH began its work in India 15 years ago:

1. Home births have decreased from 80 per cent to 11 per cent, improving maternal and child outcomes.
2. The neonatal mortality rate has decreased by 40 per cent.
3. The percentage of women accessing healthcare services during pregnancy has risen to 98 per cent, representing a 38 per cent improvement in access to care.

For more information, contact mediarelations@umanitoba.ca

UM Media Relations