Florina Serbanescu

Dr Florina Serbanescu, an obstetrician by training, now focuses on tracking the level and causes of maternal and neonatal mortality globally. Between 1994 and 2010, she led national reproductive health surveys in nine countries in Eastern Europe, including Russia and in Jamaica and Guinea Bissau. She led the first reproductive age mortality study in Republic of Georgia in 2009, co-wrote the 2013 WHO maternal death surveillance and response (MDSR) guidance, and provided technical assistance to developing national MDSR guidelines in Cameroon, Haiti, Uganda and Zambia (2012-2016). She led the evaluation of large maternal and perinatal mortality reduction efforts in Tanzania (Reducing Maternal Mortality in Tanzania program), and in Uganda and Zambia (Saving Mothers Giving Life initiative). In 2014, she co-wrote the protocol of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance project currently implemented in 9 countries by Emory Public Health Institute in collaboration with CDC. Since 2012, Dr. Serbanescu is leading the Global Reproductive Health Evidence for Action team in the Division of Reproductive Health. The team received the CDC/ATSDR honor award for Excellence in Surveillance and Health Monitoring in 2014, 2016 and 2018 for leadership and technical support in maternal and neonatal death surveillance and evaluation globally. Dr. Serbanescu has co-authored more than 100 publications and contributes technical expertise to several global initiatives aimed at improving maternal and newborn health.