(KAMPALA, Uganda) November 10, 2025 — In Uganda’s refugee settlements, childbirth is a life-threatening experience for many women. Post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) (severe bleeding after birth) is the leading cause of maternal deaths, responsible for 69% of maternal fatalities in Nakivale and Oruchinga settlements over the past five years.
However, a simple, life-saving innovation is turning the tide: the Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG).
Modeled after anti-gravity suits developed by NASA, the NASG is a lightweight neoprene compression suit that acts as a first-aid device against severe bleeding after childbirth. The low-cost, reusable garment is wrapped around a woman’s lower body to stabilize her condition.
It works by applying counter-pressure around her lower body, redirecting blood to vital organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain. The NASG can keep a woman alive for up to 48 hours, allowing critical time to reach advanced medical care. Without it, she may bleed out in just 30 minutes.
Recognized by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and UNFPA, NASG is now part of Uganda’s national protocol for managing severe PPH. However, access to this device remains limited in refugee settlements.
Earlier this year, the Rotary Club of Mbarara Ranchers donated 50 NASG garments to 45 health facilities with the help of its partners, Medical Teams International, Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, and the Rotary Club of Cambridge, equipping midwives and clinical officers with this essential tool.
Medical Teams International, with support from UNHCR, is ensuring the garments are available where most needed. The new initiative has:
- Delivered 12 NASG kits to 8 health centers in Nakivale, Oruchinga, Rwamwanja, Kyaka II, and Kyangwali refugee settlements. Thirty-eight other garments were distributed to 32 other health centers and hospital in southwestern Uganda.
- Trained 82 healthcare providers using a “low dose, high frequency” model to ensure effective use.
- Served over 35,000 women of reproductive age in the region, reducing maternal deaths and improving emergency obstetric care.
With a modest budget of $3,722, this project is a powerful example of how simple tools and targeted training can save lives.
Every mother deserves a safe birth. NASG is helping make that possible.
# # #
