Q: What Is The Save A Mother Program?
A: Save A Mother program was launched to prevent maternal mortality in India. We have already trained over 1000 women, out of which over 600 were designated as health activists. They work in over over 550 villages in Sultanpur and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh. The activists follow each pregnant woman in these villages to ensure safe pregnancy and delivery.
Q: What Causes Maternal Mortality?
A: The main preventable killers are anemia, malnutrition, hemorrhage during delivery, difficult labor and sepsis.
Q: What Are Maternal Mortality Rates In The World?
A: In 2005, mortality in Sultanpur district was over 500 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The average mortality rate in India was 308, China was 46 and in the USA it was 8.9.
Q: Why Such High Mortality?
A: The high mortality rates are due to a lack of qualified field workers to care for pregnant mothers, lack of education and insufficient medical and institutional resources.
Q: Can Maternal Mortality Be Prevented?
A: Maternal mortality is preventable. A few simple interventions can reduce the mortality by 75% to 90%.
Q: What Are These Simple Steps?
A: Save-A-Mother proposes to reduce maternal mortality by training local health activists to educate pregnant women in antenatal care and encourage institutional delivery. The activists work as health educators, motivators and facilitators for pregnant women to seek health care from public facilities. They do not replace the public health workers but supplement them.
Q: What Are The Future Plans?
A: We plan to train 800 more health activists in 2010 and cover 1400 villages. We also plan to replicate the program in Chickbalapur in Karnataka, Jhansi and Phoolpur in UP. We plan to expand health training into child care, improving sanitation and prevention of infectious diseases like HIV, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
Q: What Can I Do To Help?
A: Join Save A Mother in raising awareness and working to reduce death during childbirth. Your donation directly supports this effort by providing resources for safe motherhood initiatives. $1000 supports a three day training session for 20 village health care workers. Get Involved
Q: How Can I Help Save A Mother, beyond Making A Donation?
A: Individuals interested in donating their time or skills to forwarding the mission of Save A Mother are encouraged to contact Rahul Singhal. Involve friends and family to help increase awareness of maternal mortality and raise money to prevent maternal mortality. One avoidable death is one too many. We urge you to Save A Mother, and together we can save a million mothers.
Q: I have another question?
A: Please email Rahul Singhal.
