Roundtable: Advancing Maternal and Fetal Health through POCUS Training and Certification

This roundtable will focus on certifying primary maternal health clinicians in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) as a key strategy to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of significantly reducing maternal mortality by 2030

The discussion will address the disparities in maternal and child health services across different economic segments in low-income countries, underscoring the urgency of expanding ultrasound training and certification.

The availability of affordable ultrasound equipment has surpassed healthcare providers’ training capabilities, emphasising the necessity for enhanced training and certification to ensure patient safety. Expanding ultrasound proficiency among clinicians improves coverage of this vital intervention and enhances the quality and access to maternal care.

The initiative advocates for comprehensive policy shifts and standardised guidelines to extend clinicians’ practice scope, recognising midwives, nurses, and clinical officers for their roles in obstetric ultrasound screenings.

The roundtable will explore integrating public-private partnerships and promoting local capacity building, economic innovation, and professional development opportunities for healthcare providers, as well as the role advanced technologies can play in providing more equitable access for all.

For more than 45 years, Inteleos has defined excellence through quality patient care and certification. Inteleos is the governing and managing organization for the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography® (ARDMS®), the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement™ (APCA™), and the Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) Certification Academy™.

Agenda

Sean Kelly Member of the European Parliament, Belgium

Pamela Ruiz Chief Business Development Officer, Inteleos, USA

Byron Bitanihirwe Science for Africa Foundation, Kenya

Cynthia Whitney MD, MPH, Principal Investigator & Executive Director, Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance Network (CHAMPS), Emory Global Health Institute, USA

Bleddyn Rees Chair, The Digital Health Society, UK

Zisis Kozlakidis World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer, France

Mei Linn Fung Co-Chair, People-Centered Internet, USA

Dale Cyr CEO, Inteleos, USA

Declan Kirrane Chairman, Science Summit a UNGA79 (Moderator)