AKNA Institute: School of Midwifery is a knowledge and educational platform for maternal and newborn health, empowering birth practitioners, facilities and institutions to provide evidence-based and patient-centred care to their communities.
We design capacity-building programs, online classes and resource centres as ready-to-implement tools.
Skilled and knowledgeable practitioners are a key factor in ending preventable maternal and infant mortality from birth-practice error. Our training equips providers with critical emergency response skills to improve outcomes and save lives.
The persistence of liberal (routine) episiotomy, despite global recommendations against it, is rooted in a lack of knowledge and trust in a woman’s body. Our courses directly address the consequences of routine episiotomy (including septicemia and death), and provide simple, alternative practice guidelines that are proven to make birth safer for mother and newborn.
Staying informed on the latest research, policies, and guidelines is crucial for safe and effective birth practice. The courses we offer will break down the latest research, policies and guidelines and guide you on how to access these original resources and develop critical appraisal skills to assess research quality and relevance in clinical practice.
Birth asphyxia is the leading cause of neonatal mortality in developing countries. This course strengthens the ability of practitioners to interpret fetal heart patterns with precision, ensuring timely and appropriate interventions that support safer births.
Every day, over 800 women die from pregnancy and birth-related complications, yet, over 96% of those deaths are preventable (WHO). On the first day of life, in any given year, 1 million children will die. While those numbers are difficult to even comprehend, our goal is to empower your organization to understand and reduce known risk factors - thereby creating evidence-based practice and policy environments, that prioritize maternal and newborn safety.
Approximately 7,000 newborn dies everyday. Of those, about 80% are preventable deaths. (WHO) Every year, 2 millions infant dies within their first week of life; 1 million in their first day alone. This makes focus on newborn care more critical than ever before. The large majority of newborn deaths are due to complications related to birth. (MCEE) Therefore, targeting the time around birth with proven high impact interventions and quality care for newborns may prevent up to 80 per cent of newborn deaths. (UNICEF)
Respectful care in maternal and newborn health is a broad concept, but the essential guiding principles are that care is women-centred and based on the latest evidence - not the forces of institutional momentum, trend, or profit. Extensive research demonstrates that a patient-centred care philosophy (WHO) is even essential for access to care. Our expertise is fostering that philosophy and delivering the tools to make it real, in practice, in the experiences of both institution and patient.
Only 30% of the recommendations put forth by the American College of Gynaecologist (ACOG) practice bulletins are based on the highest quality, available scientific evidence (REF). Similar statistics are reported for the guidelines of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. In the field of maternal care, an average of 17 years is estimated for original research to be translated into practice. This translates to millions of mothers and newborns needlessly subjected to proven-inferior care.
This shocking statistic is driven by outdated practices, obstetrical violence, insufficient staffing, access and poor staff kills.
Care in What We Do
As a knowledge broker, Akna empowers clients with consolidated, up-to-date research reviews that specifically relate to the types of care offered by your institution. We offer capacity building programs, implementation strategies and other tools to inform decision making, policy and practice decisions.
Akna can also facilitate, monitor and report on implementation, in both early introductory and long term time frames.
As consultants and implementing partners, we work directly with government agencies, individual medical practitioners, traditional birth attendants, and clinical facilities.
- Melanie V. Chevarie, Co-Founder & Director Akna
Melanie V. Chevarie LM, CPM, RM, Co-Founder and Director
Marea C. Martinez, MSc, Co-Founder and Program Director
Akna partners with institutions and individuals in a range of activities and regions, working onsite, via internet and in partnership with other consultants and firms.
Let’s work together to change the fate of women and newborns around the world.
