In Timor-Leste, postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal mortality. The high rate of maternal death due to PPH is attributable to several factors, including high rates of home deliveries without the assistance of a skilled attendant, lack of knowledge about danger signs during delivery, poor road infrastructure, and lack of facilities equipped to treat PPH. Any combination of these factors may lead to delays in reaching critical care, and too often, women die from blood loss on their way to a facility that could save them.
The Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) is a low-tech first aid device that counteracts shock by applying direct counter pressure to the
lower parts of the body, and can be used to stabilize mothers with PPH until they are able to reach appropriate care. The USAID-funded Health Improvement Project has supported the Ministry of Health to introduce and scale up use of NASG with the objective of strengthening existing MOH programs for safe and clean delivery and basic emergency obstetric care as well as reinforcing the referral system. This technical brief details the approaches and results of the introduction and scale-up of the NASG. JSI, 2015.
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