Varanasi: The Mother and Child Health (MCH) department at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on Saturday launched REACH Trial, a groundbreaking multi-country, multicentre, non-inferiority clinical study aimed improving maternal healthcare. The trial, launched in collaboration with Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), Belagavi, will be conducted across 27 tertiary-level hospitals in seven countries.
It was inaugurated by IMS director Prof SN Sankhwar in the presence of JNMC research director Prof Shivaprasad Goudar, among others. The event was also attended by residents, doctors, non-teaching staff of IMS BHU, and project staff.
According to the BHU spokesperson, the project is expected to mark a pivotal moment in maternal healthcare and will bring together prominent medical professionals, researchers, and stakeholders. This trial will reach a milestone in the field of maternal health research and will be a significant step towards enhancing maternal care on a global scale.
The JNMC Women’s and Children’s Health Research Unit is leading the trial in India. The Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU Varanasi, PGIMER Chandigarh, MGIMS Wardha, SCB Medical College Cuttack, and Ballari Medical College are participating in the trial.
Seven countries will participate in the REACH Trial, with 27 sites and 6,200 women as the number of participants. The trial will be conducted across 27 tertiary level hospitals within the WHO ‘Champion’ Trial Network in Argentina, Kenya, India, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
The study period is 54 months according to the following schedule: 12 months for trial preparation, 30 months for trial enrolment, and 12 months for final analysis, trial publication, and dissemination of results.
