Birthing Kits - providing a clean and safe birth

Thank you to our supporters who helped fund 200 women in Tamilnadu State being trained in basic maternal and infant health. Women trained came from 100 villages in 3 regions, Chidambaram (40 villages), Kattumannarkoil (40 villages) and Viruthachalam (20 villages). The last training made 200 volunteers and midwives aware of the safe delivery, referral services and the use of birthing kits. They also stay with the new mothers for 1-2 hours after delivery and visit for 5-10 days. Now more women are seeking immunization and antenatal advice. It's basic health, and can save lives!

Poor women get no basic health education and there are almost no facilities for poor women giving birth. Where there are health options women often do not take them out of ignorance and fear. Basic training and the provision of birthing kits to provide a clean birthing environment for women giving birth at home is a great way to make changes at a grass roots level.

 A basic health training programme trains birth attendants in all aspects of maternal and infant health and provides a support service to birthing mothers, making sure they have help in the early days of their new arrival. They also encourage immunization and antenatal checks.

Elements of the training get embedded gradually into the community. Once a birth attendant uses a birthing kit and sees the clean environment it creates she will never attend a birth without one. It is her encouragement to use immunization services and antenatal check ups that also leave a permanent message in the minds of the mothers of the area.

Mrs A Victoria, President SWEAD was "Thrilled with the training in the area. Since the training no women and only one baby have died. It is a huge improvement."

Links:

• Zonta club making 8000 birthing kits at their Assmebly Day