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New Delhi, May 8: This Mothers Day actress, activist and Save the Children campaign Ambassador Shabana Azmi calls for investments in training and deploying more female health workers in India to save mothers dying in childbirth. Every year in India around 68,000 women die annually from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
In a new campaign message to be released online on Mothers’ Day Shabana Azmi expresses concern at the state of mothers in India saying, “This Mother’s Day is a grim reminder of thousands of mothers dying during child birth".
Earlier this week, a new report by Save the Children highlighted the huge shortage of health workers in the country. The report titled ‘Women on the front lines of health care’ calls for increasing the numbers of female health care workers in the community to address the shortfall of needed to save the lives of mothers, newborn babies and young children.
'It is indeed sad that on one hand our country is emerging as a global power and on the other we have shocking statistics on maternal, newborn and child mortality. As a nation we must invest in the health of mothers and children,' said Shabana, “There is a critical role for female health workers in the fight to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality. Countries that train and deploy more female health workers have seen dramatic reductions in maternal, newborn and child mortality.”
India ranks 73 out of 77 middle-income countries rated for the “Best place to be a mother,” according to a new Save the Children report.
The recent report released by Save the Children illustrates with examples from around the world that providing mothers with access to education, economic opportunities and maternal and child health care gives mothers and their children the best chance to survive and thrive. The Mothers’ Index highlighted in the report is based on an analysis of indicators of women’s and children’s health and well-being. Despite progress in reducing maternal mortality and child mortality, India still ranks 1 out of 12 countries that account for two-thirds of under five and maternal deaths in the world.
“Also there is a strong link between the status of women, her level of education and her health., When women have little or no education, they have little say over whether they can go to a doctor or not. Educated girls go on to marry later and have healthy babies. Strong, healthy women lead to strong, healthy children and communities,” adds Shabana.
Shabana Azmi backs Save the Children calling upon government to:
1. Train and deploy more health workers – especially midwives and other female health workers.
2. Invest in girls’ education. There is a close link between status of women, literacy levels and health.
3. Strengthen basic health systems and design health care programmes to better target the poorest and most marginalized mothers and children.
Please click here to see Shabana speak on the issue
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