MIHRI Advances Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Research Through Midwife-Led Data Collection in Buluba

Buluba, Uganda — The Mayuge Institute for Global Health Research and Innovation (MIHRI) is conducting innovative maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) research in Buluba, distinguished by a midwife-led data collection model that delivers exceptionally accurate and reliable health data.

Working with routinely collected data from Mayuge Hospital and St. Francis Hospital, MIHRI’s research links maternal and child health information across pregnancy, childbirth, postnatal care, and early childhood. By placing trained midwives at the center of data capture, the institute ensures that data are recorded in real time at the point of care, resulting in quality that is rarely achieved in maternal and child health research settings.

Midwife-Led Data Collection as a Research Innovation

Midwives play a central role in antenatal care, labor and delivery, postnatal follow-up, and newborn care. MIHRI’s research model recognizes this expertise by empowering midwives to systematically collect standardized maternal, neonatal, and child health data during routine clinical practice.

This approach significantly reduces missing data, recall bias, and documentation errors commonly associated with retrospective reviews or secondary datasets. As a result, MIHRI’s maternal and child health datasets demonstrate unmatched accuracy, completeness, and clinical relevance.

High-Quality Data for Maternal and Child Health Analytics

The linked cohort design enables longitudinal analysis of:

• Pregnancy outcomes and maternal complications
• Skilled birth attendance and delivery outcomes
• Neonatal morbidity and mortality
• Postnatal and early childhood health indicators
• Continuity of maternal and child healthcare services

The availability of high-quality, linked maternal and child health data supports advanced analytics, monitoring of health trends, and rigorous evaluation of interventions aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality.

Strengthening Evidence-Based Policy and Health Systems

MIHRI’s maternal and child health research contributes directly to evidence-based decision-making, health system strengthening, and policy development at facility, district, and national levels. Insights generated from accurate, midwife-collected data provide a strong foundation for improving the quality of care and health outcomes for mothers and children.

Ethical, Secure, and Community-Focused Research

All maternal and child health research conducted by MIHRI follows approved ethical protocols, national research regulations, and strict data protection standards. The institute prioritizes community trust, confidentiality, and responsible use of health data in all research activities.