The Capital Wide — A latest research claims that many women give birth in unsanitary situations, as a result lot of casualties of mothers and newborns happened .The study revealed that unhygienic equipment, unsafe water, and improper healthcare services in hospitals and absence of sanitary conditions are killing mothers and newborns in poor countries.
The report reveals that almost 300,000 women, especially in developing countries, died from pregnancy complication and childbirth in 2013. Most of the deaths were due to lack of clean water, poor hygiene and sanitation. In fact 38 percent of healthcare facilities in 54 poor countries continue to lack proper sanitation, which puts women at high risk of death. Despite the concerted global efforts for the past 15 years to diminish maternal mortality, the report shows that casualty rate remains 14 times higher in developing countries when compared to developed countries.
Dr. Yael Velleman, Senior Policy Analyst on Health and Sanitation at Water Aid, said, “It has been known since Victorian times that hygiene water and good hygiene in birth are highly important. Yet today 10 of thousands of mothers will be giving birth in locations where doctors and midwives, if present, do not have clean water available. The process of giving life should not mean excessively risking death.”
She further said, “The health agencies and governments have motivated women to give birth to child in hospitals and clinics to give them a better chance of surviving complications, but if those atmosphere are dirty, without clean water, basic toilets and a way to keep patients, beds and instruments clean, women are reluctant to seek them out for fear of exposing themselves and their babies to dangerous infection,”
The researchers of the study believed that providing safe water and sanitation should be on priority of improvements in homes and healthcare facilities in poor countries.
Oliver Cumming, an environmental health expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and lead author of the study.” I think it is a sad tragedy that women still die during giving birth as a result of the absence of these very basic things being in place, specifically within heath facilities,”
On December 15th Water Aid, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, WHO, UNFPA, UNFPA, SHARE Research Consortium and other companies are issuing a call of action for governments around the world to focus on improved water quality, sanitation and hygiene. [] Dirk Gerste
*Source: The Capital Wide | Photo: Slate.com
