H.M. Queen Letizia, president of the Honorary Committee of the Dexeus Mujer Foundation, yesterday presented the XIX Dexeus Mujer Foundation Award to Professor Arri Coomarasamy, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to preventing gestational losses and reducing maternal mortality during childbirth. This international prize is awarded each year to a person, team or institution for their contribution in the field of Health Sciences, especially in relation to women.

Professor Arri Coomarasamy is Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine in the Department of Metabolism and Systems Science at the University of Birmingham and the prime mover behind the E-MOTIVE, study, which has developed a new method for rapid diagnosis and combined treatment of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in vaginal delivery. The work was carried out on a sample of 200,000 women from 80 hospitals in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania. The results were published in the New England Journal Of Medicine and showed the treatment to be incredibly effective, with severe haemorrhage – loss of more than a litre of blood after childbirth – reduced by 60 per cent, and also reduced the likelihood of death in patients.

Arri Coomasamy currently directs Tommy’s National Centre for Miscarriage Research, Europe’s largest centre for miscarriage research, and is founding Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Women’s Health at the University of Birmingham. Professor Coomarasamy was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2023, a distinction awarded to individuals who have performed meritorious service to the community.