Better care, stronger laws needed to save 30 million babies on the brink of death
Nearly 30 million babies each year – nearly a quarter of the total – are born too soon, too small or become sick, requiring specialized care to survive beyond the first month of life, according to a new report by a global coalition that includes the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO). … Continued
Namibia: 208 Babies Die At Oshakati
Forty-eight hours – that is how long most newborn babies survive at the Oshakati State Hospital in the Oshana region. At least 150 premature babies out of more than 1 000 who are either admitted or born at the Oshakati State Hospital yearly do not survive. This year alone, the hospital recorded 208 neonatal deaths … Continued
Breaking The Mold For Pregnant Women in Sierra Leone
Leaning over the pregnant patient before her, Regina Korgbendeh touches the woman’s looming stomach and speaks softly in a Kono-dialect: “Thank you for this child.” Blessing an unborn baby is a custom strictly followed in communities throughout Kono, Sierra Leone. Once the prayer is complete, Regina, 48, leads her patient over to a chair, where … Continued
Regional Commissioners take oath to end maternal deaths
Dar es Salaam. Regional commissioners across the country yesterday took an oath as part of the government’s new move to stop deaths related to pregnancy, child-birth and newborns’ ill health. The role of political leaders’ commitment in the control of maternal deaths and improving newborns health has been highlighted by maternal health researchers. The deaths … Continued
Detecting and diagnosing infection in women during and after pregnancy in Togo
The Centre for Maternal and Newborn Health (CMNH) has launched a new programme in Togo, which aims to better understand the causes of infection in women during and after pregnancy, and determine the usefulness of an early warning score to detect possible infection. Last month, Dr Mary McCauley, Academic Clinical Lecturer at CMNH, travelled to … Continued
Doctors Test Bacterial Smear After Cesarean Sections To Bolster Babies’ Microbiomes
Danielle Vukadinovich is sitting up in a hospital bed at the Inova Women’s Hospital in Falls Church, Va., waiting to give birth. “I feel good, I’m excited!” says Vukadinovich, 35, of Annandale, Va., “Nervous, but good!” Vukadinovich is getting a cesarean section today. It’s the second time for her — she underwent the surgical procedure … Continued
A Day in the Life of a Community Health Worker
SACRIFICING TO MEET NEEDS Shakila is a volunteer Community Health Worker at a health post in Enjil District, Herat Province. Every day, prior to working a typical 24 hour shift at the health post, she leaves her two-year old son, Mohammad Moshfe, with her mother-in-law. “Everyone is welcome here. Enjil is a poor district. It … Continued
Free maternity services require solid funding
THE heavily pregnant woman lying on the floor in a maternity ward at Harare Central Hospital stretches out her hand to greet First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa. For the briefest moment, the woman forgets about the hard, cold and uncomfortable surface and basks in the glow of being in the presence of “greatness”. A wide grin … Continued
These Women Are Saving Lives, One Pregnancy at a Time
Regions of sub-Saharan Africa have some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Geographical obstacles, scarce financial resources and the terrors of political insurrection can transform what should be one of the happiest times of a woman’s life into a race for survival. While this issue has been covered extensively from a geopolitical … Continued
In Sembabule, getting maternal health services is a nightmare
SEMBABULE. It is noon at Ntuusi Health Centre IV in Sembabule District. The centre serves close to 60,000 people from Ntuusi Rural, Kyeera, Ntuusi Town Council, Nabitanga and Lwemiyaga sub-counties that make up Lwemiyaga County. Patients, caregivers and other guests are moving in and out of the centre. Inside the health unit, nurses and midwives … Continued