ROCKVILLE, Md., June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Inteleos announced a pilot project with Wuqu' Kawoq | the Maya Health Alliance as the selection of the Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certification Academy's 2022 MissionPOCUS™ project. As the fifth MissionPOCUS project since the initiative's inception in 2018, Inteleos' MissionPOCUS will award the Guatemalan organization a grant to establish an innovative education program aimed to decrease maternal mortality and improve access to care for indigenous Mayan populations. In collaboration with the University of Cincinnati Department of Family and Community (DFCM) Residency Division, the pilot program will employ a longitudinal training model focused on basic obstetric ultrasound initially, with a scalability plan to further implement additional non-obstetric ultrasound applications specific to their unique, rural primary care setting.
In Guatemala, indigenous Mayan populations experience a 2-3 times greater rate of maternal mortality and a 13-year decrease in life expectancy compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.1 "Most women in rural Guatemala receive care from lay midwives and deliver at home due to barriers to hospital care including cost, language, and discrimination. The MissionPOCUS grant will give us the funds we need to bring life-saving ultrasound probes and well-trained healthcare workers into the homes of indigenous Guatemalan women," said Dr. Florence Hsiao, Global Health Fellow at University of Cincinnati, Program Lead at Wuqu' Kawoq.
The 2022 MissionPOCUS project emulates the commitment of the POCUS Certification Academy to lay the foundation for greater integration and utilization of POCUS in rural regions and developing countries. Dr. Hsiao adds, "This grant not only supports our work in Guatemala, but also connects us to the international POCUS community. It is both inspiring and humbling to see all the great work other MissionPOCUS recipients are doing around the world."
For more information about MissionPOCUS or the 2022 pilot program, visit www.pocus.org/MissionPOCUS.
About Inteleos
Inteleos™ is a non-profit certification organization that delivers rigorous assessments and cultivates a global community of professionals dedicated to the highest standards in healthcare and patient safety. Inteleos is the overarching governance and management organization for the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography® (ARDMS®) the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement™ (APCA™) and the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Certification Academy™ which together represents over 124,000 certified medical professionals throughout the world. The Inteleos Foundation represents the philanthropic efforts for the organization.
About POCUS Certification Academy
The POCUS Certification Academy, under Inteleos, offers rigorous clinical certification, POCUS education and training packages, and community building opportunities for clinicians in over 100 countries. The POCUS Certification Academy allows healthcare providers to demonstrate their ultrasound skills and abilities, assess their proficiency through credentialing, and promote best practices in POCUS.
About Wuqu' Kawoq
Wuqu' Kawoq- The Maya Health Alliance works to solve pressing health needs in indigenous communities in Guatemala. Since 2007, they have been advancing lasting changes in healthcare delivery across rural Guatemala so that high-quality care, health, and well-being are within reach for everyone. Led by indigenous Maya, they provide high-quality services and resources to 20,000 patients a year. Community Health Workers provide care in the communities where their patients live and in the languages they're most comfortable speaking. Wuqu' Kawoq's program areas include child health, chronic disease, maternal health, primary care, and women's health.
1 MSPAS, S. (2011). Encuesta nacional de mortalidad materna. Guatemala: SEGEPLAN & MSPAS.
