August 17, 2021 News

Purity from Zambia was able to give birth in safety thanks to Caritas Czech Republic

In Zambia, challenges still remain in maternal and infant mortality. Childbirth safety has thus become one of our priorities in the country. For example, we introduced the so-called Mother’s shelters, accommodation near clinics for women in the last days of their pregnancy. This ensures the women receive the necessary medical care in time.

Mother’s shelters save lives

Purity is one of the women who stayed in the shelter before giving birth. She is 20 years old, comes from Nalikwanda and now has a young daughter who was only 5 months old when we met her. “I gave birth to my daughter at the Nakanya hospital because I couldn’t do it at home. We don’t even have scissors, we have nothing here. That’s why we went to the hospital, where we found a doctor who helped me deliver my baby,” Purity describes her experience.

The Mother’s shelter was opened in Nalikwanda, Zambia, thanks to Caritas Czech Republic in cooperation with the Czech Development Agency. However, it’s not the only help we provide to pregnant women and mothers in Zambia. We also train local volunteers working in SMAG (Safe Motherhood Action Group) - volunteer organization which is part of a government program to support maternal health.

We have also running water now, says a doctor from the hospital

Thanks to the volunteers, it is possible not only to get more pregnant women to give birth in hospitals, they also refute various superstitions surrounding pregnancy and childbirth, which are still strongly rooted in Zambia. To raise awareness, even a local radio station broadcasts themed radio programs, and schools organize leisure clubs for young people focusing on maternal and child health issues.

But words themselves are not enough. “Caritas helped us build a shelter for mothers. We have also running water now, so staying here is much more comfortable for mothers,” explains one of the doctors from Nakanya Hospital.

According to the European standards, the shelters for expectant mothers are very simply equipped with bunk beds and mattresses for pregnant women and their companions. But the importance of the shelters is invaluable for reducing neonatal and maternal mortality. The main issues with the availability of medical care in Zambia are the long distances and lack of infrastructure, which prevents women from getting to the hospital in time.

On the way to better times

Caritas Czech Republic have contributed to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Zambia. In addition to Mother’s shelters, the women also receive postpartum care, which means they stay with their baby in the hospital for 48 hours after giving birth to make sure there are no complications.

As part of the project to support the improvement of the quality and availability of maternity care, we trained 124 volunteers and educated doctors and professional staff in hospitals. Thanks to this, it was possible to increase the capacity of medical facilities in the Mongu area and even to build a specialized clinic only for maternity care.