Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica

The National Institute of Public Health of Mexico (INSP) is a quasi-governmental independent research and teaching institution that provides the public health field with scientific information on longstanding and emerging public health problems to prevent and control disease and to foster a healthy society. The INSP's project entails a series of studies to provide information to help the public health sector determine how, where, and when to deploy professional midwives, and to determine which models are most effective for improving maternal health care for low risk births with midwives. Operations research is looking into how to best generate demand for the services of professional midwives by health teams and systems, and among women and communities.

To research and make policy recommendations on handling obstetric emergencies in health centers in Guerrero and Chiapas (over 18 months).

To strengthen nonprofit organizations addressing women and AIDS and to establish an information center (over three years).

To test the cost-effectiveness of alternative models of intervention that seek to improve the health and reduce the fertility of poor rural and slum-dwelling women in Mexico (over four years).