Rotary International's new monthly theme for April is Maternal and Child Health! Every day mothers risk their lives giving birth and millions of children die each year from treatable, preventable causes.
At least 5.9 million children under the age of five die each year due to malnutrition, poor health care, and inadequate sanitation. To help reduce this rate, Rotary provides education, immunizations, birth kits, and mobile health clinics. Women are taught how to prevent mother-to-infant HIV transmission, how to breast-feed, and how to protect themselves and their children from disease.
Rotary’s projects ensure sustainability by empowering the local community to take ownership of health care training programs. Maternal and Child Health Care is also recognized as one of Rotary’s Six Areas of Focus.
OUR IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF MOTHERS AND CHILDREN
The Rotary Foundation reaches mothers and children in need by giving communities the help and training they need to take control of their own maternal and infant health care.
Rotary makes amazing things happen, like:
Mobile prenatal clinics
Haiti has the highest maternal and infant mortality rate of any country in the western hemisphere. Rotary provided a fully equipped medical Jeep to volunteers and midwives to reach mothers and children in remote areas.
Cancer screening
Rotarians provided a mobile cancer screening unit and awareness trainings around Chennai, India, where there is a high mortality rate of women with breast and cervical cancer due to late diagnosis.
Preventing injuries and deaths
Rotary members launched a $3 million, five-year pilot to save lives of mothers and children during home deliveries in Nigeria. Since 2005, they’ve also repaired 1,500 obstetric fistulas — 500 more than their initial goal — restoring dignity and hope to vulnerable mothers.