James Spence Medallist
Year James Spence Medal awarded: 2011
Anthony Costello's work as a medical officer in a remote rural district of Nepal saw him lead a public health programme for mothers and children, starting to address the problems of mothers and children in developing countries. As part of his collaboration work he founded MIRA (Mother and Infant Research Activities), looking at the epidemiology of preventable newborn problems in Nepal.
His work extended beyond Nepal into Bangladesh and east India, and now central Malawi, with findings published in the Lancet highlighting the reduction of newborn mortality and maternal depression.