Caring Talk Saves Lives - Press Release
New evidence suggests the number of women who die giving birth can be dramatically reduced.
Every minute one woman dies from a pregnancy related problem and eight newborn babies lose their lives.
Now pioneering work undertaken by the UK-based charity Women and Children First promises a significant reduction in the numbers. Women and Children First supports projects in Bangladesh, India and Malawi which bring women together in groups to learn and share lifesaving knowledge.
Professor Anthony Costello, the founder of Women and Children First and Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health says: "there is strong evidence that even where services are poor and under-utilized, women coming together in groups to talk about ante-natal care and childbirth can reduce the numbers of newborn deaths by 30-40%."
Ros Davies, Chief Executive Officer of Women and Children First, says the benefits to maternal health are significant: "since establishing our last project in Bangladesh in 2006, no woman attending a women's group has died from maternal causes. Caring talk really does save lives”.
To mark the International Day of the Midwife Women and Children First and The Royal College of Midwives are holding an event on Wednesday 6th May in central London.
The International Development Minister, Ivan Lewis MP, is due to speak at the event and will stress that "the UK is determined to build strong and sustainable health systems in developing countries, with more trained medical staff – including community nurses - and more access to medicines. This will help mothers deliver their babies safely and put a stop to millions of preventable deaths.”
Other speakers will include Paul Hunt, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health, Professor Anthony Costello, Director of the UCL Institute for Global Health and Frances Day-Stirk, Director of the Royal College of Midwives and Vice-President of the International Confederation of Midwives.
Having a child remains among the most serious health risks for women. A pregnant woman in the world’s least developed countries is 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from complications than a woman in a developed country such as the UK. These deaths are often caused by infections or bleeding and are easily preventable. Women’s group members learn to recognise the danger signs in pregnancy and childbirth and when to get help before it is too late. They also devise low-cost strategies to overcome problems through solutions like developing emergency funds to pay for healthcare or transport to a hospital.
NOTE TO EDITORS
Women and Children First and The Royal College of Midwives are holding an event at 14.30 on Wednesday 6th May 2009 at Church House Conference Centre, Deans Yard, Westminster, London SW1P 3NZ.
Women and Children First is a UK based international NGO at the forefront of working to reduce maternal and newborn deaths. More information about WCF can be found at: www.wcf-uk.org.
For more information contact Ruth Duebbert, Policy and Advocacy Manager or Ros Davies, Chief Executive, Women and Children First on 020 7700 6309 / 07939 026 666.
Post to Facebook 
Post to Delicious 
Post to Digg 
Post to StumbleUpon