BLOG - CleanBirth - Saving Mothers and Babies in Laos

Mar 23 2012

Great WHO Video on Women and Children’s Health

This is a well done short video on Women and Children’s Health. Watch it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74cUQepOnbQ.

Some points:

Millennium Development Goal # 4 Reduce child mortality by 2/3

Millennium Development Goal # 5 Reduce maternal mortality by 3/4 & achieve universal access to reproductive health services

360,000 women die giving birth each year — most preventable if medical attendant present and emergency services available

3 million babies die in the first month — they can be saved by skilled care during and after birth

8.1 children die every year before their 5th birthday: malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea — they can be helped by skilled/emergency care

16 million teens give birth every year — risky pregnancies. Prevent with reproductive education.

Mar 23 2012

Healthy Newborn Network’s “Countdown to 2015” Stats on Laos

Check out this fact sheet from the Healthy Newborn Network about Laos’ Demographics, Nutrition, Child Health, Maternal and Newborn Health, and Water and Sanitation in the run up to the Milennium Development Goals deadline of 2015.

Illuminating.

Mar 22 2012

PATH Presentation on Clean Birth Kits

Linda Bruce from PATH outlines the hows and whys of clean birth kits. See the whole presentation here: http://www.hciproject.org/sites/default/files/Bruce%20Clean%20Delivery%20Kit.pdf

Mar 21 2012

Ready to Bring Clean Birth Kits for Laos

I am actively looking now for an organization/hospital in Laos that would like free clean birth kits, as well as training for their pre-exisiting staff. Articles like the one that follows about Xekong province in Laos makes me want to get started NOW.

While the Millennium Development Goals aim for 260 maternal deaths out of every 100,000 births by 2015 currently this province has 406 per 100,000 births and infant mortality stands at 48 per 1,000 births. In the under five age group the mortality rate is now 65 per 1,000 children. UGH!

I understand that clean birth kits are not enough to solve the problem but they can address sepsis and improve birth outcomes.

Here is the article:

High maternal, child mortality rate persists in Xekong

The maternal and child mortality rate in Xekong province is likely to still be high by the year 2015, Xekong provincial Health Department Director Mr Visan Inthavong said on Thursday.

This is one of many challenges facing the Xekong authorities as the province tries to achieve the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, and will be a priority from now until then.

“The maternal mortality rate in Xekong province is now 406 per 100,000 births and infant mortality stands at 48 per 1,000 births. In the under five age group the mortality rate is now 65 per 1,000 children. The MDG target is to reduce the death rate of birthing mothers to 260 out of every 100,000 births by 2015. But I don’t think Xekong province can achieve this goal,” Mr Visan said.

In 2015, we estimate that the maternal mortality rate in Xekong will be 310 per 100,000 births, the infant mortality rate will remain at 1 percent, and among under fives it will drop to 53 percent, Mr Visan said.

In other areas, 64 percent of people in the province have access to clean drinking water but 70 percent don’t have a hygienic toilet they can use on a daily basis.

Last year, more than 27,000 people received health check-ups at hospitals and dispensaries, which is an increase from previous years.

Mr Visan said the healthcare network covers 98 percent of the province with a provincial hospital, three district hospitals, 16 dispensaries and 27 private pharmacies.

However, these facilities are not enough to meet the needs of the province as it develops and Xekong requires more medical staff, health facilities and modern equipment in the near future to achieve the MDGs and lower the maternal and child mortality rate by 2015.

“To reduce the maternal and child mortality rate by 2015 we have implemented a number of initiatives. These include a project to provide free treatment to children under five years old and a free health service for mothers and children. More low-income families now have access to our services throughout the province,” Mr Visan said.

Xekong province hopes to build a new 120-bed hospital with modern medical equipment, and new dispensaries for people living in remote areas that are inaccessible by road.

Xekong is the poorest province in Laos and is home to more than 100,000 people, of whom 90 percent live in rural areas. There are four districts: Kaleum, Lamam, Dakcheung, and Thataeng. Dakcheung and Kaleum are on the government’s list of the 45 poorest districts in the country.

Source: Vientiane Times
(Latest Update October 29, 2011)

Mar 21 2012

Swiss doctors help Lao newborns survive

Article in Lao Voices about Lao baby docs getting a skills update:

Health officials are confident of a significant reduction in neonatal death rates now that the Swiss-Laos Hospital Project has updated the skills of Lao neonatologists nationwide.

This was the first opportunit y for many Lao neonatologists to share their experiences with skilled Swiss experts from the project, which aims to help Laos reach the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on reducing the death rates of mothers and children by 2015.

Dr Marion Monkhoff (second right) explains the care of newborns, witnessed by Dr Bouavanh Saensathit ( fourth right ) and Swiss neonatologists.

The specific targets agreed by the Ministry of Health under the MDGs are to reduce the death rate of birthing mothers to 260 out of every 100,000 births by 2015. Most recent statistics put this figure at 300 in 2010.

The other target is for a reduction in the death rate of children under one year old from 55 (2010) down to 45 (by 2015) out of every 1,000, and for children under five a reduction from 75 (2010) to 70 (by 2015) out of every 1,000.

Vice President of the Swiss-Laos Hospital Project, Dr Marion Monkhoff, said on Friday the project was very pleased to join the Lao Ministry of Health in working to achieve MDG 4 on reducing the death rate of infants and MDG 5 on the improvement of maternal health.

“The project aims to help all newborns to survive with good health,” she said.

During the three-day training course, Lao and Swiss neonatologists not only covered modern theory of neonatal and midwifery procedures, but also the practical field to make sure they can help newborns in the best way possible.

After the training course, the project provided participants with essential equipment for the care of newborns. Participants will return to their hometowns to pass on their skills to newly-qualified colleagues, thus further ensuring Laos achieves its MDGs in relation to mother and child health.

Director of the Mother and Child Health Hospital, Associate Prof. Dr Bouavanh Saensathit, said that continuous improvement and training of provincial neonatologists was the correct way to proceed, in light of maternal and infant mortality rates remaining stubbornly high in some rural areas.

“The Swiss assistance supports the Ministry of Health’s policy to lower the mortality rate of mothers and children throughout the country,” he said. The financial contribution provided by the Swiss-Laos Hospital Project varies between US$0.5 million and US$1 million per annum. It is envisaged that the project will continue to help Laos for many years to come.

The Swiss-Laos Hospital Project is an initiative by Swiss doctors, midwives, nurses and project participants, who have worked for improvements in the medical care available to mothers and children in Laos since 2000.

Source: Vientiane Times
By Xayxana Leukai
(Latest Update March 20, 2012)

High maternal, child mortality rate persists in Xekong

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