Just this past week, the Lancet released a study done by the Institutes for Health Metrics and Evaluation titled, “Maternal mortality for 181 countries, 1980-2008: systematic analysis of progress towards Millennium Development Goal 5.” The findings in this study are surprising and promising. Imagine what an accomplishment this is. The numbers of families whose once tragic story now plays out positively is really mind boggling. Mothers stay alive to be mothers. Their children are not orphaned. It is wonderful and developing countries get to be part of the good news this time around. In fact, the study reports that “developing countries, in particular, have made substantial progress toward the Millennium Development Goal set in 2000 of reducing the MMR (maternal mortality rate)… countries such as Egypt, China, Ecuador, and Bolivia have been achieving accelerated progress.” Wow. Developing countries have been achieving accelerated progress. That is so good to hear.
Yet there are always exceptions. Ethiopia is called out as one of those exceptions. According to the study, “More than 50% of all maternal deaths were in only six countries in 2008 (India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo).” What a staggering statistic that is – 50% of all maternal deaths are accounted for by only six countries and we know why these countries loose so many mothers during and after labor and delivery.
Wide Horizons for Children (WHFC) continues to work tirelessly to break down the barriers that keep Ethiopians from accessing good health care. Their work is rooted in the principle of breaking the cycle of poverty through Ethiopian driven projects that help move people towards economic self-sufficiency. Among their many projects are two hospital projects – one in Sidamo and one in Tigray. With the support of the stable and democratic Ethiopian government, WHFC continues their partnership with local Ethiopian communities to construct and staff these new hospitals. The local Ethiopian communities have donated 10% of their own labor and resources to the projects. The result of this partnership will be the Leku Hospital in the southern Sidamo region, and the Adwa Clinic in the northern Tigray region. The momentum is growing as WHFC works to secure the funding needed to complete these two projects.
WHFC has even started a program to treat postpartum hemorrhage through training and medications that the Traditional Birth Attendants and Health Extension Workers can administer in their communities. But the need remains for transportation other than on foot or by being dragged on a make-shift stretcher, to get laboring and postpartum mothers to the hospital when more advanced care is needed to save their lives. An ambulance is desperately needed for these cases. We are raising the funds to purchase an ambulance for each of these two hospitals. Our goal is for Ethiopia to be listed among the developing countries achieving accelerated progress and not be called out as a country whose mothers continue to die needlessly. Consider making a donation or passing this on to someone you know can make a donation and be a part of this positive change.
