Bangladesh

Maternal and Child Health

In 2023

40,715

pregnant women have benefited from our program

770,706

children taken care of

114

health workers have been trained for a better patient care

Improving the Health of Pregnant Women, Mothers and Babies

Every year, more than 5,000 pregnant women die during pregnancy or in the days following childbirth. In Bangladesh, women have very little information about the risks associated with pregnancy. They are sometimes unaware of danger signs such as bleeding and pain. Often, these expectant mothers give birth at home without qualified health personnel at their side, putting their health and that of their babies at enormous risk.

Training Healthcare Workers, Informing Women and Involving the Local Population

In the central district of Brahmanbaria, where we have been working since 2017, we offer training in counselling for healthcare workers. They learn how to better care for pregnant women, mothers and their babies, thereby improving the quality of care provided.

We organise health education sessions on maternal and neonatal health in villages and in homes for pregnant women and their families. The facilitator covers topics such as nutrition, the importance of prenatal check-ups, preparation for childbirth, danger signs for the mother and newborn, and baby care.

Finally, we organise roundtable discussions with local authorities, health authorities, members of citizen action groups and our partner BRAC to identify problems in health centres (no access to water, no electricity, lack of staff, etc.) and find solutions.

What Sets us Apart

Midwives and healthcare workers receive training to improve the quality of prenatal consultations.
During health education sessions, pregnant women and their families learn how to prepare for childbirth and better prevent potential complications.
We encourage the involvement of the local population to improve infrastructure, access to healthcare and its quality. For example, the citizen group’s action has led to the installation of a water pump in a health centre, and communities have provided rickshaw ambulances for emergency access to health centres.
Our project is co-designed with a local partner.

Sheik Akhtaruzzaman Rajib, Health Worker, Bangladesh

Since completing this counselling training, my consultations with pregnant women have been different. Now, I listen carefully to their pregnancy stories and take into consideration any family issues that may prevent them from receiving proper care.