Greta’s Story. Maternity Care in Far Away Places.

Greta Beresford worked for some twenty years in countries of the Former Soviet Union, helping to promote safer motherhood and effective midwifery. She has just published her memoirs. 

Her story ranges from visits to Nagorno Karabakh and Ingushetia to work with HealthProm in Russia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. What shines through the book is her personal engagement and interaction with the families and children she met and with the professionals she worked with. She also conveys her fascination for the differing histories and cultures of the countries she visited. 

As well as a personal reflection, her story highlights how the collapse of the Soviet Union created massive challenges in supporting and maintaining effective health and social care across the newly independent countries. She explains the underlying focus of her work, based on raising the awareness of the rights of women to a better quality of maternal care, on emphasising changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices rather than just relying on technology and on the importance of evidence-based decision-making. These principles still guide HealthProm’s work today. 

Those who know Greta or are interested in the region and the work of HealthProm will enjoy her memoirs. 

To obtain a copy please contact the HealthProm office at [email protected] 

Simon Ray 

Chair of HealthProm