HEALTHLINKS

"It’s about opening your eyes to other cultures and seeing how medicine is done differently. Healthcare is facing similar problems the world over, particularly given the economic crisis, and as more and more diseases affect the whole world. Small changes often have a great effect - reducing the health risks to everyone."
Dr Hannah Missfelder-Lobos, Foetal Medicine Consultant

National Maternity Hospital,El Salvador

El Salvador is situated on the coast of the North Pacific Ocean between Guatemala and Honduras. 30% of the country's population lives in the capital San Salvador. El Salvador's estimated maternal mortality rate is 110 per 100,000 live births (WHO Sep. 2010), ten times higher than in the UK.

The Link between CUH, in particular the Rosie Hospital, and the National Maternity Hospital is focusing on the reduction of maternal mortality, female mortality, in particular caused by cervical cancer and neonatal mortality. This Link has strong support from the El Salvador Minister of Health.

Dr Hannah Missfelder-Lobos, a Foetal Medicine Consultant at The Rosie Hospital, has been working with staff at the National Maternity Hospital from the start, visiting up to three times a year and leading the establishment of regular training programmes and forging effective relationships for this long term partnership.

“I understood you before, but now I understand you better.”
Dr Xochitl Sandoval, Intensive Care Unit lead obstetrician, National Maternity Hospital, El Salvador

Through shared knowledge and experiences we can make a considerable difference to global health. Better trained staff, new equipment, improved organisational skills and proper planning are just a few small ways of making a big difference to the lives of patients, staff and students both overseas and in the NHS.