VSI News Releases
March 14, 2013
VSI to support the Niger Ministry of Public Health to add misoprostol to maternal health strategies
IRVINE, CA - Niger’s Ministry of Public Health and Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) will collaboratively introduce the essential medicine misoprostol to address a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the country, incomplete abortion and miscarriage. Learn more...
March 1, 2013
Rwanda Ministry of Health commits to expansion of postabortion care program
KIGALI, RWANDA - On Tuesday, February 26, 2013, Rwanda’s Ministry of Health (MOH) and Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) shared the results of a pilot program that introduced comprehensive care for women who experience complications of unsafe abortion and miscarriage. The partners presented the postabortion care (PAC) program findings and recommendations to nearly 100 attendees, including Ministry of Health officials, health providers from participating districts, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations and United Nations agencies. Learn more...
February 15, 2013
New publication underscores the safety of magnesium sulfate for prevention and treatment of eclampsia
IRVINE, CA - Last week, researchers from two global health organizations, John Hopkins affiliated Jhpiego, and Venture Strategies Innovations, published a review in the journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. The article describes an integrative review of 24 studies to document the known incidences of severe adverse reactions to magnesium sulfate—the drug of choice for prevention of seizures as part of comprehensive management of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E)—and specific outcomes related to its use. Learn more...
January 5, 2013
Ministry of Health and VSI sensitize communities on safe use of misoprostol to prevent maternal deaths in Rwanda
KIGALI, Rwanda - To complement ongoing programs introducing misoprostol for postabortion care and postpartum hemorrhage, in the Fall of 2012 Venture Strategies Innovations supported the Rwanda Ministry of Health to sensitize community leaders in program districts on the correct uses of misoprostol and the new maternal health services available at health facilities. Learn more...
January 2, 2013
Zimbabwe Ministry of Health launches operations research introducing misoprostol to address two leading causes of maternal mortality
HARARE, Zimbabwe - On December 26, 2012, the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, in collaboration with Venture Strategies Innovations, launched an operations research project introducing misoprostol to address the country’s high maternal mortality due to excessive bleeding after childbirth and unsafe abortion. The six-month operations research aims to increase access to and awareness of life-saving misoprostol tablets in all health facility levels of the four project districts - Mutare, Chimanimani, Matobo and Umguza. Learn more...
December 31, 2012
Angola Ministry of Health shares results of collaborative postabortion care project
LUANDA, Angola - On December 12, 2012, the Angola Ministry of Health and Venture Strategies Innovations shared the results of a postabortion care project to address maternal deaths due to complications of unsafe abortion. Results of the collaborative project were presented to over 40 attendees, including Ministry of Health officials, Luanda province hospital and health center providers, and other key maternal health stakeholders. Learn more...
December 15, 2012
VSI convenes maternal health community in Burundi for first-ever workshop on misoprostol
BUJUMBURA, Burundi - From December 4-7, 2012 at the Hotel le Chandelier in Bujumbura, Burundi, Venture Strategies Innovations supported the Burundi Ministry of Health and National Program for Reproductive Health to convene a four-day capacity-building workshop on the use of the essential medicine misoprostol for maternal health. With the world’s fifth highest rate of maternal mortality, the Government of Burundi is striving to reduce maternal deaths in line with United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal 5. Learn more...
August 16, 2012
Celebrated maternal health advocate Professor Friday Okonofua joins VSI board of directors
ANAHEIM, CA - On August 15, 2012, the VSI Board of Directors appointed Professor Friday E. Okonofua as its newest member. Professor Okonofua currently teaches obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Benin in Benin City, Nigeria, and is a fellow of several international medical institutions including the International Health Program at Harvard University and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Learn more...
July 18, 2012
Burundi to add misoprostol to maternal mortality reduction strategies
ANAHEIM, CA - On July 16, 2012, the Ministry of Public Health of Burundi and its National Program for Reproductive Health joined VSI in partnership to introduce the medication misoprostol for use in managing complications of pregnancy and childbirth, including postpartum hemorrhage and unsafe abortion, in this recently post-conflict country in Africa’s Great Lakes region. Learn more...
July 13, 2012
Regional maternal health experts convene for inaugural summit
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania - On Monday, July 9, 2012, Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) opened the inaugural Regional Experts’ Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania bringing together representatives from 12 African countries to share the latest research and engage in cross-country learning on key maternal health interventions, including misoprostol. The Summit, co-sponsored by AGOTA (Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Tanzania) and ECSAOGS (East, Central and Southern African Association of Obstetrical and Gynaecological Societies), convened nearly 40 leading obstetricians and gynecologists and technical experts for a week of capacity-building focused on supporting policy and programs to accelerate the reduction of maternal mortality in Africa. Learn more...
June 16, 2012
Angolan Ministry of Health introduces misoprostol to save women’s lives from abortion complications
LUANDA, Angola - On June 12, 2012, at its offices in the national capital, the Angolan Ministry of Health, with support from Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI), launched a postabortion care (PAC) initiative to address maternal mortality due to complications of unsafe abortion. As part of the country’s broader safe motherhood efforts, the Ministry of Health is rolling out the use of misoprostol in PAC in a demonstration project aimed at expanding access to and provider knowledge of the easy-to-use tablets as an effective means to treat incomplete abortion and miscarriage. Learn more...
March 23, 2012
United Nations spotlights life-saving commodities to accelerate Millennium Development Goals
ANAHEIM, CA - Today the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched a landmark Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children, elevating the importance of essential medicines and technologies to save millions of lives and realize the health-related Millennium Development Goals. Learn more...
March 19, 2012
Ghana Health Service calls for scale-up of misoprostol distribution to reach women who deliver at home
ACCRA, Ghana - On Monday, March 19, 2012 at a national dissemination meeting at the Miklin Hotel in Accra, Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) shared the results of a collaborative pilot project that protected Ghanaian mothers from life-threatening bleeding after childbirth. The project partners presented the results of this safe motherhood project to over 60 representatives of national, regional and district-level GHS leadership as well as other key maternal health stakeholders in Ghana. Learn more...
February 15, 2012
Merck for Mothers invites VSI Medical Director Dr. Ndola Prata to serve on Advisory Board
ANAHEIM, CA - The global healthcare company, Merck, announced a ten-year, half-billion-dollar global initiative, Merck for Mothers, in September 2011 at the United Nation’s (UN) Every Woman Every Child event. Learn more...
December 19, 2011
ABC's 20/20 with Diane Sawyer highlights misoprostol as key maternal health solution
ANAHEIM, CA - American television network ABC aired a special episode of 20/20 with Diane Sawyer on Friday, December 16, 2011, highlighting the pressing issue of maternal mortality around the world as well as a few simple solutions that can make a significant impact, including misoprostol tablets. Learn more...
November 6, 2011
VSI welcomes Pamela M. Norick as new President and CEO
ANAHEIM, CA - The board of directors of Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Pamela M. Norick as President and CEO, effective November 1, 2011. Pam brings to VSI a dedication to improving the economic, social and health status of women and their families throughout the world and over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and government sectors. Learn more...
October 17, 2011
VSI Medical and Programs Director interviewed about innovative medication abortion program in Ethiopia
ANAHEIM, CA – On October 17, 2011, to align with the published commentary on the results of an innovative Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) pilot project in Ethiopia, Duncan Jarvies, producer at the British Medical Journal Group, interviewed VSI Medical and Programs Director Dr. Ndola Prata, co-author and co-principal investigator on the project. Learn more...
September 28, 2011
Anna Lalor Burdick Foundation awards grant to VSI-Ethiopia
ANAHEIM, CA - Today the trustees of the Anna Lalor Burdick Foundation awarded VSI a $25,000 grant in support of a focused information, education and communication campaign on prevention of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe abortion in Tigray, Ethiopia. Learn more...
August 10, 2011
Leading physicians move to expand delivery of PAC services with misoprostol
MOMBASA, Kenya - On July 27, 2011, VSI hosted a meeting with co-sponsorship from Ipas in Mombasa, Kenya to disseminate the collaborative Misoprostol Use in Postabortion Care (MPAC) Service Delivery Toolkit to leading obstetricians and gynecologists in the Eastern, Central and South African (ECSA) regions. Convened just a day before the 4th ECSA International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics workshop on the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion Initiative, over 70 physicians, program planners and policymakers from nine countries participated in the day-long session focused on this medication-based treatment of a leading cause of maternal death. Learn more...
July 29, 2011
Rwanda Ministry of Health launches program introducing misoprostol to reduce abortion-related deaths
KIGALI, Rwanda - On Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at Lemigo Hotel, the Rwanda Ministry of Health (MOH) launched a national postabortion care program to address the country’s high maternal mortality due to unsafe abortion. With support from VSI, the MOH is introducing life-saving misoprostol tablets to health centers and hospitals in four districts in efforts to equip health care providers with the knowledge and medication to effectively treat emergency cases of incomplete abortion and miscarriage. Learn more...
June 29, 2011
National Public Radio features VSI's misoprostol program in Mozambique
ANAHEIM, CA - This week, NPR's All Things Considered debuted its summer series "Beginnings," covering experiences of pregnancy, childbirth and parenting from around the world. VSI traveled with host Melissa Block and producer Andrea Hsu to Northern Mozambique to introduce them to VSI program beneficiaries and community-level providers working to save women's lives with misoprostol. READ or LISTEN to the full story. Learn more...
June 24, 2011
Community-level PPH prevention results met with Mozambique Ministry approval
MAPUTO, Mozambique - On June 22, 2011, VSI, the Mozambique Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Bixby Center for Population, Health and Sustainability at the University of California, Berkeley shared the results of an operations research project introducing the essential medicine misoprostol to address the country’s leading cause of maternal death, postpartum hemorrhage. Learn more...
May 20, 2011
Pharmaceutical market research expert joins VSI board of directors
ANAHEIM, CA – On May 18, 2011, VSI welcomed Ruchi Varshneya as the newest member of the organization’s board of directors. Ruchi is currently Director of Global Market Research and Competitive Intelligence at Abbott Laboratories in California. Her previous experience includes marketing research for health technologies and business analytics at global companies Procter & Gamble and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Learn more...
May 12, 2011
Ethiopian Ministry enthusiastic for groundbreaking safe abortion pilot
MEKELE, ETHIOPIA - On May 9th, 2011, VSI, the Tigray Regional Health Bureau and the Bixby Center for Population, Health and Sustainability at the University of California, Berkeley shared the results of an innovative comprehensive abortion care pilot with maternal health stakeholders in Mekele, Ethiopia. Learn more...
May 6, 2011
WHO takes important step, adds misoprostol to its model list of essential medicines for PPH
ACCRA, GHANA - The 18th Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines of the World Health Organization has included misoprostol for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) on its model list of essential medicines. Having convened on the 21 through 25 of March 2011 in Accra, Ghana to review the evidence for efficacy and safety on a host of proposed medicines, the committee published its results today which “add misoprostol to the List, for the prevention of PPH in settings where parenteral uterotonics are not available or feasible.” Learn more...
Apr 12, 2011
UCSF professor and celebrated women's health researcher Dr. Joseph Speidel joins VSI board of directors
ANAHEIM, CA - J. Joseph Speidel, MD, MPH, has joined the board of directors at VSI. Dr. Speidel is a professor within the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco and Director for Communication, Development and External Relations at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health at UCSF. Learn more...
March 22, 2011
Tanzania and Kenya demonstrate misoprostol distribution at ANC protects mothers from PPH, plan for program expansion
NAIROBI, KENYA – In March 2011, VSI, the Ministry of Health and local partners from Tanzania and Kenya disseminated the results of projects in each country assessing the feasibility of distribution of misoprostol directly to women while pregnant to increase protection from life-threatening bleeding after childbirth, or postpartum hemorrhage. With high attendance at antenatal care (ANC) (96% in Tanzania and 92% in Kenya) but more than half of deliveries taking place at home, the partners capitalized on ANC as an opportunity to reach women with misoprostol and safer childbirth education in case they were unable to deliver in a facility. Learn more...
Feb 23, 2011
Pilot program in Kenya reaches pregnant women with misoprostol for PPH prevention
NAIROBI, KENYA – On Thursday, March 17, 2011, Venture Strategies Innovations and the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society (KOGS) will present the final results of a collaborative project piloting misoprostol for prevention of pospartum hemorrhage (PPH) to the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation and maternal health stakeholders at a dissemination meeting at the Panafric Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. The results are poised to inform a national policy discussion around distribution of misoprostol at the community level for prevention of PPH. Learn more...
Jan 31, 2011
Nigeria takes groundbreaking step with approval of guidelines for community use of misoprostol
ABUJA, NIGERIA – In December 2010, Nigeria became the first country in the world to endorse guidelines for the use of misoprostol tablets for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) at the community level. Nigeria exhibited similar global leadership in 2006 when it was the first country to register the tablets for use in prevention and treatment of PPH to address its high rate of maternal mortality. Learn more...
Jan 13, 2011
Tanzania fights maternal mortality, registers misoprostol for postabortion care services
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA – In 2007, Tanzania became the second country in Africa to register misoprostol for use in prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, or excessive bleeding after childbirth, the leading killer of mothers worldwide. Three and a half years later, on January 13, 2011, the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority took another step towards improving the lives of women with the approval of an amendment to this registration to include treatment of incomplete abortion and miscarriage. Learn more...
Oct 10, 2010
Ghana Health Service and VSI launch Ghana’s first program to save mothers’ lives with misoprostol
CAPE COAST, GHANA – To address a leading killer of mothers in Ghana, postpartum hemorrhage, or excessive bleeding after delivery, on September 29, 2010 VSI and the Ghana Health Service launched the country’s first program introducing distribution of misoprostol tablets—effective in preventing this bleeding—to pregnant women at antenatal care visits in four districts. Learn more...
Oct 5, 2010
Leading African doctors convene to plan for introduction of misoprostol for postabortion care
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA - Today closed out two days of meetings among leading gynecologists, researchers and policymakers on the introduction of misoprostol for postabortion care in low-resource settings across Africa. The US-based nongovernmental organization Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) hosted the regional meeting at the Kaleb Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on October 4-5 for 40 colleagues representing eight African countries. Learn more...
Oct 1, 2010
Ministry of Health, VSI highlight successful efforts to address life-threatening bleeding in childbirth in Zambia’s rural communities
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – On September 30, 2010 at the Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka, the Ministry of Health of Zambia and VSI convened a dissemination meeting to share the successful results of a collaborative project introducing misoprostol tablets to prevent life-threatening bleeding, or postpartum hemorrhage, in women who deliver at home in rural Zambia. Learn more...
Sept 29, 2010
Ministry of Health, VSI convene stakeholders’ meeting to plan way forward for misoprostol in Uganda
KAMPALA, UGANDA - On Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 45 policymakers, medical practitioners and program planners convened at Hotel Africana in Kampala, Uganda to discuss the way forward for misoprostol, a drug with potential to save many lives in this country where thousands of mothers die each year due to excessive bleeding after childbirth, or postpartum hemorrhage. Learn more...
Sept 15, 2010
Kenya, Zambia approve additional misoprostol products for life-saving obstetrical use
NAIROBI, KENYA - The drug regulatory agencies of Kenya and Zambia have approved each country’s second misoprostol product to address conditions contributing to preventable maternal death. Learn more...
Sept 1, 2010
Global Maternal Health Conference
NEW DELHI, INDIA - Today marks the closing of the Global Maternal Health Conference, organized by the Maternal Health Task Force and the Public Health Foundation of India. Hundreds of leading international experts convened in New Delhi to present their latest research and share ideas to advance the maternal health agenda. VSI presented on the topics of postpartum hemorrhage, family planning and comprehensive abortion care. Learn more...
July 31, 2010
Task force releases second edition of USAID-endorsed guidelines on PPH management at the community level
ANAHEIM, CA - This month, members of the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program’s (MCHIP) Postpartum Hemorrhage Community-Based Task Force completed revisions of standards for postpartum hemorrhage management at the community level. “Prevention and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage at the community level: A guide for policy makers, health care providers, donors, community leaders, and program managers” was released in July 2010 for immediate use by program planners and policy makers in developing countries seeking to integrate evidence-based solutions to address one of the greatest contributors to maternal mortality: postpartum hemorrhage. Learn more...
July 29, 2010
VSI and partners launch misoprostol for postabortion care program in Mozambique
MACIA, MOZAMBIQUE - On June 22, 2010 in the Macia district of Mozambique, VSI, the Bixby Center for Population, Health and Sustainability at the University of California, Berkeley, the Associação Moçambicana de Obstetrícia e Ginecologia, and PSI commenced trainings of health care providers on the use of misoprostol for treatment of incomplete abortion and miscarriage as well as provision of post-abortion counseling and family planning to prevent future unwanted pregnancy. Learn more...
June 11, 2010
Ethiopia takes important policy step of registering misoprostol for postpartum bleeding
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA - On June 3, 2010, the Drug Administration and Control Authority of Ethiopia approved the registration of misoprostol tablets for use in managing life-threatening bleeding after childbirth, or postpartum hemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal death in Ethiopia. The registration came just months after a collaborative meeting disseminating the successful results of a host of projects introducing misoprostol for this life-saving use. Learn more...
June 10, 2010
VSI contributes to global advocacy for women’s health at Women Deliver Conference
WASHINGTON, D.C. - From Monday, June 7 to Wednesday, June 9, 2010, Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) participated in the Women Deliver 2010 Conference, a global advocacy event held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. This three day conference brought together nonprofit organizations, women’s health advocates, health care providers and politicians all devoted to improving maternal and reproductive health worldwide. This year’s program emphasized the importance of “delivering solutions for girls and women,” and particularly solutions to needlessly high maternal mortality throughout many regions of the world. Learn more...
Feb 2, 2010
Hundreds gather in Zaria, Nigeria to share in success of misoprostol introduction to prevent mothers from bleeding after home births
ZARIA, NIGERIA - On Tuesday, February 2, 2010, women from northern Nigeria voiced their appreciation for a solution to the uncontrollable bleeding after childbirth that causes many mothers to die unnecessarily in their communities. Community members, policy makers and representatives of nongovernmental organizations working to reduce maternal deaths in Nigeria came together in Zaria to learn about the introduction of misoprostol tablets for community-level prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. Learn more...
Jan 28, 2010
Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Health and leading aid agencies call for misoprostol availability in communities as key strategy for safer motherhood
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA - To culminate a month dedicated to Safe Motherhood in Ethiopia, and building on the ministry's theme that, "No woman should die while giving life," Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI) and DKT-Ethiopia collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Health in convening a meeting to disseminate the results of several successful projects introducing misoprostol tablets to postpartum hemorrhage. Learn more...
Malawi registers misoprostol for life-saving obstetrical use
LILONGWE, MALAWI - The Pharmacy, Medicines, and Poisons Board of Malawi has taken the crucial policy step of approving the registration of misoprostol tablets for use in obstetrics, including for the prevention and treatment of excessive bleeding after childbirth, or postpartum hemorrhage, and the treatment of incomplete abortion and miscarriage. In a country where a woman has a 1 in 18 lifetime risk of dying of complications of pregnancy or childbirth, affordable and easy-to-use misoprostol tablets have an important role to play in improving women’s access to life-saving care. Learn More...
Oct 19, 2009
VSI presents scientific findings at FIGO World Congress in South Africa
Venture Strategies Innovations’ (VSI) medical and program experts presented scientific findings to the largest global gathering of obstetricians and gynecologists as a part of the 19th World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics in Cape Town, South Africa October 4-9, 2009. Learn more...
Aug 6, 2009
VSI achieves two registrations of misoprostol for treatment of incomplete abortion and miscarriage
Venture Strategies Innovations (VSI), in collaboration with our manufacturer and local distributor partners, has achieved registration of misoprostol for treatment of incomplete abortion and miscarriage in Mozambique and Kenya. Learn more...
Jul 6, 2009
Uganda launches national misoprostol program to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth
On Friday, June 26, 2009, the Ministry of Health of Uganda, with support from Venture Strategies Innovations and PACE, launched its first national program introducing the life-saving drug misoprostol for prevention and treatment of excessive bleeding after childbirth—a condition that takes the lives of over 5,000 Ugandan mothers each year. Learn more...
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