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From delivering babies in Roma and Innisfail in Queensland to supporting maternity services in remote Western Australia—and training healthcare workers in obstetric emergencies internationally—Rural Generalist Obstetrician Dr Grace Maano has built a reputation for strengthening maternity care where it is needed most.
Dr Maano has now been selected to attend the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine’s (ACRRM) Emerging Leaders Conference in South Australia in October.
A Fellow of ACRRM and passionate advocate for safe maternity care, Dr Maano combines her work as a Rural Generalist with a commitment to improving the care of mothers and babies in Australia and overseas. She trains doctors, midwives and other healthcare workers to recognise and respond to life-threatening emergencies during childbirth, helping healthcare teams build the skills and confidence needed to save lives when every second counts.
Through practical, simulation- training delivered with local health services and Rotary-supported programs, Dr Maano has supported healthcare teams in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Botswana, Nepal and the Philippines.
Dr Maano says her work in rural and remote Australia, together with her global-health advocacy, has reinforced the importance of equipping local healthcare teams with the skills and support they need to provide safe care close to home.
“Rural and remote families—whether in Australia or in developing countries—deserve access to safe, high-quality maternity care, regardless of where they live,” she says.
“Many maternal and newborn deaths are preventable when healthcare workers have the confidence, practical skills and systems to respond quickly to obstetric emergencies.
“The opportunity to attend the ACRRM Emerging Leaders Conference will help me further develop the leadership skills needed to support rural and remote healthcare teams, advocate for stronger maternity services and contribute to better outcomes for mothers and babies locally and globally.”
ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin says Dr Maano’s selection reflects her commitment to serving communities far from the urban footprint.
“Dr Maano is an outstanding Rural Generalist whose work is making a real difference where it is needed most,” Dr Martin says.
“Her dedication to supporting maternity services, developing healthcare teams and improving outcomes for mothers and babies—both in rural Australia and internationally—makes her a deserving participant in the Emerging Leaders Conference.”
Dr Maano will join more than 20 future Rural Generalist leaders from across ACRRM to develop leadership capability and strengthen the Rural Generalist workforce.