“I’ve seen science and
intervention work in our country, and elsewhere I’ve seen
where simple things — keeping a baby warm — can result
in survival.”
year;in;Malawi,;Little;was;back;there;this;spring;helping
the;country;plan;for;nationwide;implementation;of;HBB.
“We;want;very;much;to;work;with;the;structures;in;place,
not;go;in;and;start;dictating,”;says;Little,;an;associate;editor
of;the;curriculum.;“I;give;the;Academy;a;tremendous;amount
of;credit;for;the;leadership;deciding;to;commit;its;resources
to;this;program.;We;are;home;to;a;global;effort;now.”
Judith;Palfrey,;M.D.,;FAAP,;AAP;president;when;the;ini-
tiative;began,;says;there’s;an;increasing;interest;in;global
health;among;AAP;members.
“HBB;provides;an;ideal;mechanism;for;members;to;use
their;talents;to;strengthen;the;infrastructure;of;our;partner
countries,;and;to;have;a;direct;impact;on;the;lives;of;children
and;the;welfare;of;families,”;says;Palfrey,;director;of;the;Chil-dren’s;International;Pediatric;Center;at;Children’s;Hospital
Boston.
A;Catholic;medical;missions;group;wants;to;teach;the
program;in;Zambia.;The;recommendation;in;Kenya,;where
more;than;half;of;all;births;happen;at;home,;is;to;make;the
curriculum;available;at;prenatal;visits;—;not;to;scare;women
about;delivering;a;non-breathing;baby;—;but;to;show;the
equipment;and;inspire;confidence;by;educating;whatever
family;member;might;be;at;the;delivery;of;the;baby.
A;training;video;was;shot;this;spring,;since;many;traveling
to;teach;have;laptops.;The;video;aims;to;broaden;how;many
can;be;taught,;provide;a;refresher;course,;and;literally;zoom
in;on;techniques,;such;as;how;to;position;a;bag;and;mask;on
an;infant’s;face.
There;are;challenges;for;HBB,;such;as;quantifying;success
and;outcomes;and;encouraging;people;to;log;their;courses
so;AAP;can;help;maintain;the;integrity;of;the;program;and
how;it’s;being;taught.;Cell;phones;—;sometimes;used;even;in
regions;where;clean;water;or;electricity;is;in;doubt;—;may;be
employed;to;help;collect;such;data,;AAP;staff;says.
Many;involved;say;the;overarching;takeaway;from;HBB;is
how;an;association,;even;a;large;one,;can;use;partnerships
to;accomplish;so;much;more.;Whether;it;was;Laerdal;helping
with;the;artist;for;the;flow;chart,;or;a;single;doctor;with;an
international;connection;to;tap;into,;working;together;worked.
Those;closest;to;HBB;say;that;clear;goals,;and;a;philosophy
of;empowerment;by;a;program;—;not;ownership;of;it;—
helped;save;lives.
Susan Besze Wallace;is;a;freelance;writer;and;author;living;in;Northern
Virginia,;and;may;be;reached;at susan.wallace@live.com. To;learn;more;about
HBB,;visit;www.helpingbabiesbreathe.org.
THE AUGUST 2011 SIGNATURE STORY features;the;Illinois;Association;of
School;Boards;and;its;Targeting;Achievement;through;Governance;program,
which;provides;board;development;services;at;no;cost;to;school;districts;that
have;not;achieved;adequate;yearly;progress;under;No;Child;Left;Behind,;the
goal;being;to;help;board;members;understand;the;link;between;policy;and
progress.;Based;in;Springfield,;Ill.,;with;a;second;office;in;Lombard,;Ill.,
IASB;is;a;voluntary;organization;of;local;boards;of;education;dedicated;to
strengthening;the;public;schools;through;local;citizen;control.;Established;in
1913,;its;members;include;98;percent;of;school;districts;in;the;state.;For
more;information,;visit;www.iasb.com.
