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Background: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal deaths worldwide. This study sought to quantify the potential health impact (morbidity and mortality reductions) that a low-cost uterine balloon tamponade (UBT) could have on women suffering from uncontrolled PPH due to uterine atony in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods: The Maternal and Neonatal Directed Assessment of Technology (MANDATE) model was used to estimate maternal deaths, surgeries averted, and cases of severe anemia prevented through UBT use among women with PPH who receive a uterotonic drug but fail this therapy in a health facility. Estimates were generated for the year 2018. The main outcome measures were lives saved, surgeries averted, and severe anemia prevented.Results: The base case model estimated that widespread use of a low-cost UBT in clinics and hospitals could save 6547 lives (an 11% reduction in maternal deaths), avert 10,823 surgeries, and prevent 634 severe anemia cases in sub-Saharan Africa annually.Conclusions: A low-cost UBT has a strong potential to save lives and reduce morbidity. It can also potentially reduce costly downstream interventions for women who give birth in a health care facility. This technology may be especially useful for meeting global targets for reducing maternal mortality as identified in Sustainable Development Goal 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emergency care is a neglected area of focus in many low- and middle-income countries. There is a paucity of research on types and frequencies of acute illnesses and injuries in low-resource settings.Objective: The primary objective of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics and emergency conditions of patients that presented to a new emergency care center (ECC) at Sagam Community Hospital in Luanda, Kenya.Methods: Patient demographic characteristics, modes of arrival, chief symptoms, triage priorities, self-reported human immunodeficiency virus status, tests performed, interventions, discharge diagnoses, and dispositions were collected for all patients that presented to the Sagam Community Hospital ECC.Results: Between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017, 14,518 patients presented to the ECC. The most common mode of arrival to Sagam Community Hospital was by foot (n = 12,605 [86.8%]). There were 8931 (61.5%) female patients and 5571 (38.4%) male patients. Of the total visits, 12,668 (87.3%) were triaged Priority III (lowest priority), 1239 (8.5%) were Priority II, and 293 (2.0%) were Priority I (highest priority). The most common chief symptoms were headache (n = 3923 [15.2%]), hotness of body or chills (n = 2877 [8.8%]), and cough (n = 1827 [5.5%]). The three most common discharge diagnoses were malaria (n = 3692 [18.9%]), acute upper respiratory infection (n = 1242 [6.3%]), and gastritis/duodenitis (n = 1210 [6.2%]).Conclusions: Although opening an ECC in rural Kenya attracted patients in need of care, access was limited primarily to those that could arrive on foot. ECCs in rural sub-Saharan Africa have the potential to provide quality care and support attainment of Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]