Monash doctors use simulation to teach obstetric and neonatal emergency management skills in rural India

Dr Kumar (right) with local doctors, nurses and midwives

Monash doctors recently visited rural India, where they upskilled local health workers to help prevent deaths associated with difficult births.

Monash Health obstetrician Dr Arunaz Kumar and neonatologist Dr Atul Malhotra—who are also Monash University senior lecturers—piloted the combined maternal and neonatal simulation workshops in rural Punjab last month. 

“Complications associated with difficult obstetric and neonatal situations can be prevented in rural India,” said Dr Kumar, who has extensive experience in leading interprofessional simulation workshops both at Monash University and Monash Health.

Dr Malhotra (left) with local doctors, nurses and midwives

“We used low technology simulation equipment to educate community health workers, doctors and nurses.”

The workshop covered common child birth emergency scenarios including obstructed labour, postpartum haemorrhage and perinatal asphyxia.

“Postpartum haemorrhage and perinatal asphyxia are the leading causes of maternal and neonatal mortality in the developing world,” said Dr Malhotra.

Drs Kumar and Malhotra conducted three workshops over two days with the help of local medical leaders and regional collaborator Assistant Professor Tarundeep Singh from the School of Public Health, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Research, Chandigarh.

Dr Malhotra said around 70 participants attended the workshops, involving hands-on skills training with the help of manikins.

“The workshops incorporated discussion of various scenarios, and local resources and knowledge was factored into patient management,” said Dr Malhotra.

“The staff had never been exposed to simulation training before and loved the experience of being able to practise child birth and neonatal resuscitation in a safe environment.”

The pilot work was supported by a grant from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. The team hopes to continue this training regularly and is seeking local and international public and philanthropic funding to sustain the initiative.