Skip to content
Home » Archives for Lauren Gallagher

Lauren Gallagher

The Next Frontier of Safer Motherhood: Why NICUs Matter

The Evolution of Care in Rural Ethiopia For years, the mission of Village Health Partnership (VHP) has been rooted in the fundamentals of survival: preventing obstetric fistula, providing clean water to clinics, and ensuring no woman has to labor alone at home.  We have seen the capacity of the health systems in the West Omo Zone grow significantly. As our WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and solar infrastructure stabilize these facilities, the complexity of medical services we can support is increasing. We are moving beyond basic delivery into the next critical frontier: Neonatal Intensive Care. The Emerging Challenge Neonatal deaths… Read More »The Next Frontier of Safer Motherhood: Why NICUs Matter

17,000 People Now Have Clean Water in Kuju

The Kuju Health Center and Community Water Project is now operational. This system provides a reliable source of water for the health center and the surrounding community, with a population expected to grow from 17,000 to 50,000 over the next 5-10 years. The system consists of a solar pump that draws water from a deep borehole and distributes it through a network of pipes to the medical wards, including labor and delivery and community points with three tap stands and a cattle watering trough. This infrastructure is the foundation of preventive healthcare in the West Omo Zone. How the water… Read More »17,000 People Now Have Clean Water in Kuju

Introduction: Challenges of Maternal Health in Southwest Ethiopia

At Village Health Partnership (VHP), our mission has always been clear: to prevent maternal and neonatal death in childbirth and to treat the devastating gynecologic complications that can occur when women labor alone. But how do we measure the true depth of our impact? Beyond the statistics, what do the women we serve actually say about their lives, their challenges, and the care they receive? We are proud to share with you a comprehensive new article by VHP Board Member and applied anthropologist Dr. Peter Van Arsdale: “Challenges of Maternal Health in Southwest Ethiopia” (published in The Applied Anthropologist Vol.… Read More »Introduction: Challenges of Maternal Health in Southwest Ethiopia

Siz Hospital’s Solar Project is Complete!

We are thrilled to announce a major milestone for the Siz community: the new solar power system at Siz Hospital is fully installed and operational! This project wasn’t just about putting panels on a roof; it was about ensuring reliable, constant power is available for every patient, every day. We extend our deepest gratitude to the local community, the hospital staff, the support of Village Health Partnership, and all of our generous VHP donors. Special thanks also go to Yonas Workie and his team at SunTransfer Tech for procuring and installing the solar system, and to the Water Engineers for… Read More »Siz Hospital’s Solar Project is Complete!

The True Cost of Care: A Partner’s Harrowing Journey to Restore Women’s Health

The work of the Village Health Partnership (VHP) in Ethiopia is a mission of profound dedication. No one embodies this spirit morefully than Dugasa Beyene, one of our key partners on the ground. His unwavering commitment to the Screen Transport and Treat Program (STTP) for severe gynecologic complications of childbirth continues despite facing extraordinary personal danger. From the town of Dembi Dollo, Dugasa recently shared a candid account with VHP founder and president, Dr. Migs Muldrow, detailing a harrowing experience that sheds light on the very real risks individuals take to bring essential healthcare to the most remote and underserved women in… Read More »The True Cost of Care: A Partner’s Harrowing Journey to Restore Women’s Health

Sustainable Care: Fueling Siz Hospital’s Future with Solar Power

View this email in your browser At Village Health Partnership, we believe in a world where every mother has access to safe childbirth and every newborn receives the care they deserve. This belief drives our commitment to impactful healthcare initiatives globally. We want to share a compelling story from Siz Primary Hospital, where a critical need and incredible community spirit are converging on a life-saving solution: a solar power system. The dedicated medical professionals at Siz Primary Hospital have faced immense challenges, particularly in providing emergency maternal and neonatal care. Without a reliable, uninterrupted power source, essential surgical services, including… Read More »Sustainable Care: Fueling Siz Hospital’s Future with Solar Power

Understanding Access to Maternal Healthcare in Southwestern Ethiopia

The Village Health Partnership (VHP) is dedicated to building a healthcare system in southwestern Ethiopia that ensures pregnant women have access to skilled assistance and emergency care during childbirth. Our goal is to prevent maternal and neonatal deaths and related complications.    To achieve this, VHP has worked extensively to strengthen 10 health facilities by improving year-round access to water, solar power, sanitation and medical waste disposal. We have also implemented infrastructure for maternal health (including the construction of maternity waiting areas) and have worked to provide essential equipment and supplies. We have focused on training staff in infection prevention… Read More »Understanding Access to Maternal Healthcare in Southwestern Ethiopia

Bridging the Gap: How Village Health Partnership is Saving Mothers and Newborns in Ethiopia

Bridging the Gap: How Village Health Partnership is Saving Mothers and Newborns in Ethiopia The birth of a child should be a moment of profound joy, yet for too many women in Ethiopia,  it remains fraught with uncertainty and danger. The maternal mortality rate in Ethiopia was estimated at a staggering 401 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023. Tragically, the infant mortality rate was also high, with 32.44 deaths per 1,000 live births. The World Health Organization (WHO) underscores that access to skilled birth attendants and emergency obstetric care, including lifesaving cesarean sections, are critical to preventing these deaths and complications.… Read More »Bridging the Gap: How Village Health Partnership is Saving Mothers and Newborns in Ethiopia

Stronger Together Against Fistula: A Powerful Alliance Healing Women in Ethiopia

Anarcha Westcott, a 17-year-old from Montgomery, Alabama, endured a harrowing labor. After more than 72 hours, her baby was delivered, but the prolonged, obstructed birth left her with two fistulas, causing her to leak urine and feces. Over the next five years, Anarcha underwent 30 surgeries. In 1849, she underwent her final surgery that successfully corrected her fistula. Her story represents the arduous journey of early fistula treatment. From those painful beginnings in 19th century America, fistula care has made remarkable strides. Today, thousands of miles away in rural Ethiopia, a powerful partnership is bringing healing to women facing similar… Read More »Stronger Together Against Fistula: A Powerful Alliance Healing Women in Ethiopia

How One Program is Transforming Women’s Health In Western Ethiopia

How One Program is Transforming Women’s Health In Western Ethiopia Our quiet efforts have now garnered loud applause! This year, our dedicated partners swiftly achieved remarkable success by screening, transporting, and surgically healing 275 women dealing with the gynecological consequences of childbirth—with 250 overcoming significant pelvic organ prolapse (POP), and another 25 successfully treated for fistula with our Screen Transport and Treat Program. In under half a year, we hit our annual treatment milestone. During recent years, our program’s efforts have been focused in the Kelem Wollega and West Wollega Zones of western Ethiopia. Despite the challenges posed by ongoing military conflict,… Read More »How One Program is Transforming Women’s Health In Western Ethiopia