An acclaimed Melbourne researcher and junior doctor has been awarded the AMA Women's Health Award for his extensive contributions to improving stillbirth prevention and antenatal care.
Dr Keeth Mayakaduwage, a resident medical officer at Monash Health, was presented with the award at the AMA24 national conference on the Gold Coast on Friday.
Dr Mayakaduwage's extensive research, in collaboration with Safer Care Victoria and the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence, has significantly advanced Australia's understanding of the complexities of stillbirth and the importance of evidence-based practices.
His findings have been presented at several high-profile conferences and he has received numerous accolades for his contributions to obstetric research.
Dr Mayakaduwage's leadership in the Victorian government's evaluation of the Safer Baby Bundle has also been instrumental in improving antenatal care.
"I am incredibly honoured to receive the AMA Women's Health Award and deeply grateful to those who nominated me," Dr Mayakaduwage said.
"This recognition is a testament to the collaborative efforts of so many dedicated individuals and organisations working tirelessly to advance women's health."
Dr Mayakaduwage said receiving the award inspired him to further his commitment to improving women's health and stillbirth prevention — a cause he said was close to his heart.
"Australia is one of the safest places in the world to give birth, yet six babies are stillborn each day, affecting more than 2000 Australian families every year," he said.
"This underscores the urgent need for continued efforts in research, advocacy, and policy development to ensure better health outcomes for all women."
AMA President Professor Steve Robson said, as an obstetrician and gynaecologist, he dealt with the sad reality of stillbirth.
"I am extremely honoured to present the AMA Women's Health Award to Dr Mayakaduwage, as his contributions to women's health and stillbirth prevention cannot be understated," Professor Robson said.
"Dr Mayakaduwage has shown incredible dedication to this extremely important cause, not only through his research, but also through his various roles on international and national women's health committees."
Professor Robson also congratulated the finalists for the AMA's Women's Health Award — Professor Magdalena Simonis AM, Dr Kelly-Anne Phillips and Dr Tara Frommer — and said they all demonstrated excellence in advancing women's health.
Background:
Dr Keeth Mayakaduwage is a leading researcher in the field of women's health, and a resident medical officer at Monash Health with aspirations to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology. Born in Sri Lanka, Dr Mayakaduwage moved to Melbourne, Australia with his family when he was 11 years old. He studied at Monash University and now works on several research projects examining the causes and prevention of stillbirth. Dr Mayakaduwage collaborates with Safer Care Victoria and the Stillbirth Centre of Research and Excellence in his research and contributes to the Victorian government's evaluation of the Safer Baby Bundle, an Australian quality improvement project to reduce preventable stillbirths. Dr Mayakaduwage's research focuses on the impact of the Safer Baby Bundle in Victoria, examining its effects on rates of stillbirth, causes of perinatal death, and its influence across various demographic groups. Additionally, Dr Mayakaduwage leads an international survey on perinatal death education among healthcare students and graduates in collaboration with the International Stillbirth Alliance. The goal of this survey is to inform global curricula on bereavement care. Dr Mayakaduwage is also involved in the Coronavirus Health Outcomes in Pregnancy and Newborns (CHOPAN) Registry, which seeks to improve our understanding of Covid-19's impact on pregnancy outcomes in Australia.
This year, Dr Mayakaduwage received the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand (PSANZ) Best New Investigator Award for the best oral presentation on obstetric research at the PSANZ Congress. He also received the Monash Health Service Excellence Award, recognising his commitment to safe and high-quality patient care. In 2022, he received the PSANZ Richie Centre Award for Translational Research, awarded to the researcher whose fundamental discovery offers the potential to lead to changes in perinatal clinical practice.
Dr Mayakaduwage is the past chair of the Pre-Vocational Obstetrics & Gynaecology Society for Australia and New Zealand and he sits on the International Urogynecological Association's Education Committee, as well as the association's Fellows, Trainees and Early Career Professionals Committee. In these roles, he has been active in developing training and educational resources for trainees and junior doctors. Dr Mayakaduwage also serves on the Women's Health Executive Committee of the Public Health Association of Australia, where he advocates for public health initiatives aimed at reducing health disparities among women. He also volunteers as a Health Educator for The Water Well Project, leading health education sessions for migrant, refugee, and asylum seeker communities.
