Early this year (February), the Accelerating Measurable Progress and Leveraging Investments for Postpartum Haemorrhage Impact (AMPLI-PPHI) project opened its doors to key partners for a series of insightful meetings and field onsite visits. Representatives from the project’s vital funders, UNITAID and the European Union (EU), travelled across implementation sites (Lusaka, Chilanga, and Kafue districts) to witness firsthand the implementation of this critical project aimed at saving mothers’ lives. The AMPLI-PPHI project is implemented by a consortium comprising the Zambia Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians (ZAGO), and Jhpiego.

Their journey took them through a cross-section of healthcare facilities – from bustling urban hospitals of Chilenje Level One hospital to remote rural clinics in Chilanga and Kafue districts – showcasing the project’s integrated approach as it builds towards its conclusion at the end of May 2026.

For example, Mwembeshi Rural Health & Mount Makulu Rural Health centers profoundly showcased foundational care and PPH prevention and management at the primary level. Nangongwe Clinic & Chikupi Rural Health Centre displayed great understanding about community outreach and preventive strategies in rural settings. Kafue General Hospital, it being a referral facility shared comprehensive emergency obstetric care capabilities, while Chilenje Level One Hospital demonstrated unmatched urban perinatal care and the integration of PPH protocols in a high-volume setting.

The primary aim for the funders was clear: to move beyond reports and spreadsheets: but to appreciate the tangible, on-the-ground realities of project implementation. The funders sought to see how knowledge, tools, and systems translated into action, and how each facility was strengthening their capacity to address postpartum haemorrhage – the leading cause of maternal mortality in Zambia.

At each site, the delegation engaged with the heart of the healthcare system: the nurses, midwives, clinical officers, doctors, and even cleaners.

“This project has done wonders; has really helped make our facility clean. We no longer see blood all over the floor as it used to. Our work has been made much better with the use of calibrated drapes,” said a cleaner at Chikupi rural health center.

Discussions focused on the practical use of AMPLI-PPHI interventions, such as adoption of updated clinical protocols; how are new guidelines for PPH prevention, detection, and management being applied in real-time during deliveries; availability and use of uterotonics, like Heat-Stable Carbetocin (HSC); and how effective calibrated drapes and E-Motive bundle was being executed.

Prior to facility visits, UNITAID and EU representatives met with key officials for Supply Chain & Logistics institution: the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA). The meeting was aimed at understanding how the project contributed to strengthening the system to ensure essential commodities are always in stock, not only for the AMPLI-PPHI project, but for all facilities, especially in the most remotes of areas. The meeting further discussed whether facilities are better equipped to track PPH cases and outcomes.

The onsite facility visits revealed stories of transformation – a midwife at Mount Makulu clinic demonstrating swift action using new protocols; a cleaner appreciating how calibrated drapes have kept labour wards dry without blood stains on the floors; pharmacies reliably stocked with essential drugs, and clinical teams confidently running through a PPH simulation drill.

Further, a stakeholders meeting was convened at Intercontinental hotel, with a central theme of the dialogue on sustainability and transition. The funders and project implementers explored critical questions:

1. How are successful practices being institutionalized within the Ministry of Health?
2. What local ownership models are emerging to ensure that the flow of commodities and the culture of quality care continue uninterrupted?
3. How is the project’s evidence being used to advocate for continued domestic and partner investment in maternal health?

A resounding resolve was reached: the project must be scaled up across the country and gains be sustained.

In summary, the onsite visits to implementation facilities in Lusaka, Chilanga, and Kafue districts highlighted a unified project effort. They demonstrated that protecting mothers from PPH requires a seamless continuum of care, where every link in the chain, from community clinic to general hospital, is strengthened.

The field visits served as a powerful vote of confidence from UNITAID and the European Union in the work being done by Jhpiego and ZAGO, the Zambian government, and the entire cohort of healthcare workers. More than an evaluation exercise, it was a shared learning experience, reinforcing the collective commitment to ending preventable maternal deaths.

As AMPLI-PPHI project comes to a close, the insights gained from these visits were crucial. They definitely helped sharpen the focus on consolidating gains, embedding life-saving practices into the fabric of Zambia’s health system, and ensuring that the legacy of the project endures long after May 2026, saving the lives of mothers for generations to come. The AMPLI-PPHI project was funded by UNITAID and the European Union, and implemented by a consortium led by Jhpiego and ZAGO in collaboration with the Midwives Association of Zambia (MAZ), with support from the Ministry of Health.