Our Goal

By 2030, every user of medical ultrasound in the world will be proficient and certified, ensuring patient safety and increasing equity in healthcare.

Ultrasound is one of the most powerful and affordable diagnostic medical imaging technologies in the world.

Our Approach

  • Only 17% of mothers received basic maternal and fetal health interventions in low-income countries.
  • One in forty-five was the lifetime risk in 2017 of maternal death in low income countries as a whole. Among regions, women in sub-Saharan Africa face the highest lifetime risk (1 in 38).
  • Only 24 percent of women in sub-Saharan Africa receive the WHO recommended four antenatal visits.

The First Phase of the Ultrasound Proficiency Grand Challenge (UPGC)

We are a collection of partners working within under-resourced communities who would benefit most from proficient healthcare workers in the use of ultrasound. The collective purpose is to educate, train and certify midwives, nurses and clinical officers to maximize their impact on maternal and fetal health.

Low-cost ultrasound equipment is becoming increasingly prevalent; in fact, access to equipment outpaces healthcare providers’ ability to sufficiently train clinicians. This access escalates the urgency to ensure providers are certified and patients are safe.

To  Achieve Global Ultrasound Proficiency We Will:

• Work with local and regional health experts to develop ultrasound standards that reflect the needs of the community.

• Educate and train midwives, nurses and clinical officers.

• Verify healthcare providers’ knowledge, skills and abilities through assessment and certification.

• Leverage and assist in the distribution of ultrasound technology and equipment.

• Ensure a pipeline of local trainers, sustainable proficiency and access to working devices.

The Value of Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound

Diagnostic medical ultrasound, when used by proficient and certified medical professionals, can be a safe and inexpensive tool to detect and diagnose medical conditions in men, women, children, infants, and fetuses. The use of ultrasound by inexperienced or untrained medical professionals, however, can lead to incorrect or missed diagnosis for countless patients.

The UPGC partners’ goal is to assure that every provider has the demonstrated knowledge and skills to provide optimal care to all their patients.

2022 The UPGC
Maternal & Fetal Health in Action

Partnering with the Kenyan Women and Children’s Wellness Center, the Kenya Healthcare Federation and HealthEd Global, the pilot program is currently underway. A summit is set to take place in Nairobi to bring together local and global leaders to plan for transformational impact within health systems and communities.

Scaling for Success

Through building organizational infrastructure, global partnerships and alliances, we will have the ability to scale the ultrasound education, training and certification programs to meet almost any area of the world, across many clinical specialities.

Through building organizational infrastructure, global partnerships, and alliances, we will have the ability to scale the ultrasound education, training, and certification programs to meet almost any area of the world, across many clinical specialties.

Doctor and pregnant woman reviewing an ultrasound image

Join Us

Join our network of partners, individuals and organizations to launch and sustain The Ultrasound Proficiency Grand Challenge. Help make proficient ultrasound care a right for all patients everywhere, not just a privileged few.

Are you an expert in women’s healthcare?

Do you have experience supporting communities in limited resource and/or underserved environments? If so, we need you to be part of a progressive team of professionals to assist in the development and implementation of this global program, helping us to break down barriers and deliver positive outcomes.

We are also soliciting financial resources.

The Inteleos Foundation, a 501c3 organization, will accept donations to drive this program to success. We are a nonprofit, public charity organization registered in the State of Maryland. Contributions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by law; written acknowledgements are provided for tax purposes.