Malawi: Time for Action to Ensure All Hospitals, Everywhere Have Water

WaterAid Malawi HNN Team

During countless visits to maternity wards without safe water, what I hear time and time again are stories of trepidation – women who fear the very worst outcome for them and their newborn. Vitumbiko, 25, had heard stories about women dying during childbirth at her local health centre. She didn’t tell anyone how worried she … Continued

Experts call for intensified efforts to reduce maternal, newborn deaths

Outlook India India HNN Team

New Delhi, Jan 21 Experts have called for strengthening sexual and reproductive health services in member countries of WHO South-East Asia region, to reduce deaths of mothers and babies, which continues to be at “unacceptable levels”. “Though millions of lives are now being saved due to efforts in recent years, it is unacceptable that mothers … Continued

Better birth: Labour Ward project improves a community health centre in India

M4ID India HNN Team

In December, M4ID and partners inaugurated a new and enhanced Basta community health centre in Odisha, India. Final strokes of paint, last few screws tightened, new carpets rolled out, a final sweeping of the floors – and a hug! In December, product design lead Nicolas Flittner had an exciting trip to Balasore district in Odisha, … Continued

Unnecessary referrals from districts causing death of newborns

Dawn Pakistan HNN Team

PESHAWAR: Unnecessary referral of newborns from district hospitals coupled with shortage of equipment and trained staff in Peshawar-based teaching hospitals have been causing deaths of preventable ailments, according to sources. Paediatricians say that 16 per cent of the neonates die at nursery ward of Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), 30 per cent at Lady Reading Hospital … Continued

Proud mothers from around the world show off their New Year’s arrivals as UNICEF celebrates the 400,000 babies born on January 1st

Daily Mail UK HNN Team

UNICEF says 395,072 babies were born across the globe on New Year’s Day The organisation has pictured 12 babies born in 10 countries on January 1 India and China welcomed the most children on New Year’s Day Some mothers are feeling anxiety as well as joy as babies face uncertain future While some were ringing … Continued

Where Doulas Calm Nerves and Bridge Cultures During Childbirth

New York Times HNN Team

HALMSTAD, Sweden — Maria Hussein, who escaped the war in Syria, was many hours into labor in a Swedish hospital when the midwife realized her fetus was in distress, and called in an obstetrician to help. The doctor began giving Ms. Hussein instructions and reassurance in Swedish. Oksana Kornienko, who works as a doula culture … Continued

WHO lays out recommendations to save newborns

The Week HNN Team

According to a recent report released by WHO titled Survive and thrive: transforming care for every small and sick newborn, it is crucial for the world to transform care for every newborn baby, in order to achieve the global target of health for all. Reducing neonatal mortality to 12 per 1,000 live births and under-five … Continued

‘No woman has died here while having a baby and that is a big achievement’

Irish Times HNN Team

Baby Matin is less than five hours old when we meet. Matin’s mother Maran gingerly lifts her baby, swaddled in bundles of soft blankets, from the cot to show her to the group of well-wishers gathered by the end of the bed. The 27-year-old already has three sons – two were born in the sprawling … Continued

All mothers and newborns must get equitable health care

Hindustan Times India HNN Team

  Health care is not simply about treating disease. It is about promoting a complete state of physical, mental, and social well being. This requires a comprehensive approach, spanning a continuum of care from pregnancy and childhood, to adolescence, and finally adulthood. Nowhere is this more important than for the health of girls and women, … Continued

Poor quality of care still an issue in addressing newborns mortality

IPP Media Tanzania, United Republic of HNN Team

Countries with higher rates of child mortality and morbidity are especially challenged, including Tanzania. A senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Bernadette Daelmans, made the call on the sidelines of the 2018 Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) Forum being held in New Delhi, India. Dr. Bernadette Daelmans was speaking … Continued