A theater. / PHOTO; Courtesy
Each year, millions of women face life-threatening risks during childbirth and other essential surgeries, many of which could be prevented through stronger and safer surgical systems.
In low- and middle-income countries, cesarean sections and other critical procedures for women remain severely under-resourced, leading to high rates of surgical infections, preventable complications, and maternal deaths.
In response to this urgent gap, Lifebox has been working to improve surgical safety for women by providing practical tools, training, and system-strengthening support to healthcare teams.
With the support of the Action for Women’s Health award, the organization will now be able to scale these efforts further, reaching more facilities and ultimately more women across multiple regions.
“Support from Action for Women’s Health will enable Lifebox and our partners to strengthen safer surgical systems for women by empowering maternity and gynecological surgical teams with practical, evidence-based tools to prevent surgical infection and improve outcomes,” said Kris Torgeson, Lifebox Global CEO.
“The grant will allow us to dramatically scale our work to improve surgical safety for women worldwide.”
Announced on November 12, 2025, Lifebox is among more than 80 organizations selected from a pool of over 4,000 applicants to receive funding under the Action for Women’s Health initiative.
The $250 million global call, launched in 2024 by Pivotal, an organization founded by Melinda French Gates and managed by Lever for Change, supports solutions that advance women’s physical and mental health worldwide.
The award recognizes Lifebox’s leadership in addressing one of the most neglected areas of women’s health: access to safe, high-quality surgery and anesthesia.
The grant will enable Lifebox and its partners to expand evidence-based programs across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Unsafe surgery remains a major global health burden, causing more than four million deaths every year.
Women are disproportionately affected, particularly during childbirth.
Dr. Tihitena Negussie Mammo, Lifebox Global Clinical Director and pediatric surgeon, highlighted the urgency:
“Unsafe surgery is one of the most urgent and solvable challenges in global health, especially for women. At Lifebox, we’ve reduced postoperative complications and deaths, including those following cesarean section, by up to 40%. Strengthening surgical safety for women saves lives and builds healthier families.”
Cesarean delivery, the most common surgery worldwide, accounts for nearly a third of all operations in low- and middle-income countries.
Yet despite its importance, it still carries significant risks. Surgical site infections remain a leading cause of maternal mortality.
Lifebox’s Clean Cut for Cesarean Section (CS) program confronts this challenge through a proven, evidence-based approach that strengthens adherence to six essential infection-prevention standards, reducing complications for both mothers and newborns.
Professor Salome Maswime, Vice Chair of the Lifebox Global Governance Council and an obstetrician-gynecologist, emphasized the broader impact of this investment:
“Too many women’s lives depend on access to safe and timely surgery. No woman should die while giving life. By strengthening surgical systems, we are improving safety, dignity, and outcomes for every woman, everywhere.
About Lifebox
Lifebox is a global nonprofit dedicated to making surgery and anesthesia safer worldwide.
Through innovative tools, training, and partnerships, the organization focuses on three core areas: anesthesia safety, surgical teamwork, and infection reduction.
Since its founding in 2011 by Dr. Atul Gawande, Lifebox has worked in 116 countries, trained more than 14,400 healthcare providers, and helped make over 248 million surgeries safer
