As part of the Central America and the Caribbean Technical Forum—Advancing Neonatal Health through Alliances—MCHIP carried out a training of Helping Babies Breathe Master Trainers in Managua, Nicaragua, on 12 May. The activity took place in collaboration with the Neonatal Alliance and the Nicaraguan offices of PATH, University Research Co/Health Care Improvement project (HCI), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

In all, 33 professionals from Ministries of Health (MOH) and the nongovernmental organizations of eight countries (Panama, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic) received training, materials and equipment for roll-out. Instructors were from USAID, MCHIP, HCI, and the Nicaraguan MOH, and the training was observed by experts from international and Nicaraguan PAHO, UNICEF, and academic institutions.

Many countries have trained professionals in the past, constituting an important group of national Master Trainers. By the end of this activity, country representatives described their potential plans for national implementation of the program.