I will be attending the Global Health & Innovation Conference next month in New Haven (Yale University), and looking through the programme brought to mind again  our recently published Born Too Soon supplement which I’ve been working on for  Reproductive Health.

The Maternal and Child Health speakers at the conference are plentiful, and focus is very much centred on infant and maternal mortality, particularly in low resource settings and poor rural environments. The supplement’s focus was on preterm birth and reducing both maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity – particularly within middle- and low-income countries, so I’m looking forward to hearing some new insights on these topics from experts in the field.

In fact, as I’ve talked to colleagues I have (perhaps unsurprisingly) seen plenty of our other research which relates to the topics being spoken about at the conference. In particular, our Medicine for Global Health series in BMC Medicine, which aims to cover all aspects of global health, also draws parallels to the Healthcare Delivery Models and Impact Measurement talks, emphasising the need to improve access to healthcare and implementation of these measures in middle- and low-income countries.

Mortality estimates are one important aspect of assessing global healthcare needs – determination of the causes of death can help to influence policies that may, in future, help to prevent these deaths. As part of the series, BMC Medicine published a selection of articles and blogs on these issues, in addition to a wide range of other articles ranging in subject from HIV, to malaria, to mother and child health. It is great to see these issues being given the prominence they deserve and being discussed with openness at conferences on this scale.

With over 300 speakers, presenting lectures and workshops, and offering their insights into global health and social entrepreneurship, this conference looks set to be a busy, bustling, educational and thought-provoking. If you are attending, I look forward to seeing you there!

Natasha Salaria
Journal Development Editor

BMC will be exhibiting at this conference and you can find us in the Shubert Theatre, 247 College St, New Haven, CT 06510, United States