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AYZH Birth Kits for Laos: Quality, Low Cost, Empowering

Yesterday, I spoke with Zubaida Bai at AYZH, which manufactures clean birth kits (AYZH instruction manual: http://bit.ly/JUnu2b) in India.  Our conversation changed my way of thinking about the quality and assembly of the clean birth kits for Laos.

Before the conversation I had planned to buy the supplies in Thailand and arrange assembly once in Laos.  Other organizations source inputs in the developing world and the inputs are simple.  Or are they?

Talking to Zubaida, I realized that the quality and quality control of the products matters a great deal.  For example, the AZYH kit contains a plastic clamp instead of a cotton cord ties — easier to keep sanitary.  The sheet is not cut from a plastic roll but of padded, blood absorbing quality for comfort and easy clean up.  The soap is medicated, the razor a sterile surgical blade with steel handle.  Further,  items are contained in a stylish jute bag, which encourages women to appreciate/use them, and is biodegradable.

The high quality makes it possible for AYZH in India and other organizations in Africa to charge a small fee for the kits, increasing user buy-in to utilizing the clean birth kits and creating sustainability.

Beyond the product being more effective and attractive, items are hospital grade and completely sanitized.  The plastic cord clamp means blood/dirt isn’t absorbed into the cord tie, as with cloth ties.   The kits are made by women with years of experience in packaging these kits in a totally hygienic  manner.   This had the most impact for me: it took years for AYZH to develop best practices for selecting products and assembly.

Before the conversation, I expected that I would engage community members to make the kits.  However, talking to Zubaida, with her years of experience, I understand more clearly that distribution and education should be the focus.  That is where I need to spend my time — not searching out the right items and locating a sterile place and team to assemble kits.  Not at first anyways.

My CBK Project: Educational Context, Saravan, Laos

I am researching the province of Saravan, Laos where I am collaborating with Village Focus International.  I found these education stats from MiVAC, which works in many countries, including Laos, to clear landmines/ UXO.

A MiVAC delegation visited Saravan and reported about education, among other things.

Laos has bleak educational stats as a whole: 2,000 villages without schools, 55% kids complete primary school, 45% of primary schools are complete, 3.2 teachers/primary school.

Saravan’s stats are worse:

1. 17,590 grade 1 students
2. 5,076 grade 5 students (grade 5=completion of primary school)
3. 26% of primary schools are complete
4. 2.3 teachers/primary school
5. 34.9% of students repeat grade 1

There are 14 minority groups in Saravan. Rarely do the teachers and students speak the same language.

Developing a Clean Birth Kits Project in Laos

Cleanbirth.org is officially teaming up with Village Focus International to provide moms in Saravan, Laos with clean birth kits.

I am so excited to contribute to the important work being done by Village Focus International and their project in Saraven province, called Our Village (OV).  OV has a Holistic Women’s Health program in 48 target villages.

I am so excited and grateful to be doing this work.

 

Save the Children in Laos

Save the Children’s Laos Health Program has had great success in the area of the country that they have been serving for 20 years.  They have seen an 80% drop in maternal and infant mortality compared with the whole of Laos.  But by their own admission there is a long way to go:

The health situation of women and children in Laos is amongst the poorest in Southeast Asia; Infant mortality rate is 70 per 1000 live births and under five mortality claims 98 per 1000 live births1.  Every day 36 children under-five die due to preventable and treatable diseases. Percentages of underweight children have been almost unchanged between 1990 and 2006 (40% and 37.1%) and the prevalence of stunting in under-fives is up to 40.4%. According to UNICEF/WHO official estimate (2007), immunisation coverage has declined—only 27% of children by their first birthday have received all eight recommended vaccinations2.  Maternal mortality remains very high at 405/100,000 live births, approximately 800 deaths per year or 2 deaths per day. A high percentage of children (71.5%) are born to mothers who received no antenatal care and 84.8% of pregnant women give birth at home3 . These are clear indicators of low health service utilization and poor quality health services/facilities.

Laos…Here I (with Clean Birth Kits) Come!

OK my departure is hardly imminent but I have received interest from an organization currently delivering medical services to women and children in Laos.  I am thrilled!

I love that part of the world…feel so connected to the people and I believe strongly that, due to the high rates of homebirth and birth-related mortality, that clean birth kits will help.

I am so excited to get going on this.

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