Maternal and Infant Health

WOMEN IN SENEGAL HAVE A 1 IN 22 CHANCE OF DYING DURING CHILDBIRTH.

A mother’s death is a tragedy that can lead to the disintegration of her family. In Senegal, such a loss makes it hard for the family to even survive let alone prosper. The surviving newborn’s life is at risk as well as the lives of her other small children who are then likely to face difficulties in receiving healthcare and getting an education. If we can ensure safe births, we are one step closer to preventing such familial devastation, which will ultimately impact the community at large.

About 90% of maternal deaths are preventable if women have access to stable care. The main causes – hemorrhage, infection, unsafe abortion, hypertension disorders, and obstructed labor – are all preventable when skilled healthcare providers are assisting the birth process and when access to reliable emergency obstetric care is readily available.

Even though the road to eliminating these factors is long, we are still making a difference and are dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies while reducing the maternal and neonatal mortality rate. We do this by increasing women’s access to quality midwifery care, a primary focus at the Senegal Health Institute. We believe it is the right of every woman to have the best possible care during pregnancy and childbirth and to be treated with respect and dignity. 

We at the Senegal Health Institute follow the basic principles of the International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiative (IMBCI).