Giving birth at a maternity hospital: the key strategic option to be adopted in order to combat maternal and neonatal mortality in Mali
The end result of the past 40 years of experience in combating maternal mortality in Mali suggests that the emphasis should be changed, and that giving birth at a maternity hospital should be the basic strategic option chosen. This means creating “compounds set aside for mothers-to-be”, where women...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Institut Veolia Environnement
2012-04-01
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| Series: | Field Actions Science Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/1415 |
| Summary: | The end result of the past 40 years of experience in combating maternal mortality in Mali suggests that the emphasis should be changed, and that giving birth at a maternity hospital should be the basic strategic option chosen. This means creating “compounds set aside for mothers-to-be”, where women approaching the end of their pregnancy will be invited to come and await the onset of labour, and at the same time enjoy the rest they need. However, the prerequisites for such an initiative will be first to guarantee the necessary quality of care in maternity hospitals, by virtue of an accreditation system, and second to ensure that the system is fully operational in terms of referring obstetric emergencies. Giving birth in the woman’s home village will then no longer be regarded as a clearly expressed strategic choice, but as an unintended course of events. The introduction of a subsidised system of fixed-charge obstetric care will remove any financial obstacles, and is a necessary step to ensure the feasibility of such a programme. |
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| ISSN: | 1867-139X 1867-8521 |