The Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity and Social Determinants of Health, PHFI, Bangalore’s Post

Empowering one health worker leads to progress of an entire community. In India, access to quality maternal and child health care varies due to geographical constraints, gender disparity, inequity, economic conditions and societal norms. Working within these constraints, women health workers like the ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) and ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwives) provide critical on-ground support to the public health system, helping improve the health of women and children in India. We equip these women with the knowledge, skills and tech support required to provide critical antenatal and postnatal care. These women then go on to save the lives of pregnant women, mothers and their children, laying the foundation for a healthier world. This #InternationalWomensDay, we salute these health workers who continue to play a crucial role in nation building. #womensday2024 #womensday #investinwomen #women #InternationalWomensDay2024 #IWD2024 #mothers #children #maternalhealth #childhealth

*NATIONAL SAFE MOTHERHOOD DAY* *APRIL 11* *THEME - 'ACCESS IN CRISIS'* *India observes NATIONAL SAFE MOTHERHOOD DAY on April 11 each year to promote Maternal Health and Reduce Maternal Mortality rates in the Country. The Indian Government declared KASTURBA GANDHI'S BIRTHDAY, April 11, as National Safe Motherhood Day.* *India is among the world's most dangerous countries to give birth, representing 15% of all maternal deaths globally. In India, 44,000 women die each year as a result of poor prenatal care, almost 850 deaths per day according to WHO. To combat this Govt Of India introduced various schemes include Janani Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Muthulakshmi Maternity Benefit Scheme, and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram.* *This day also focuses on reducing ANAEMIA among WOMEN, Institutional Delivery, Better Pre and Post-Natal health care etc, which are necessary for Mothers.* *India became the first country to announced and declared a National Safe Motherhood Day.*

The disparity in maternal health outcomes is alarming. In Minnesota, Black women make up 13% of the birthing population but account for 27% of pregnancy-associated deaths. It's crucial to address and eliminate these inequities in our healthcare system. #birthjustice #birthjusticeadvocacy #pernatal #maternity #culturalcare #maternalcare #healthequity #BirthJusticeCollaborative

#India needs urgent policies to end obstetric violence# #care with compassion to be the moto for raising maternal health outcomes# #patient centric than structure determined care protocols are need of the hour# Please read some heartening cases of obstetric violence in my latest article: https://lnkd.in/gwbmrtUN

Reducing the need for cesarean sections is a major goal in improving maternal health, especially for minority women. In our second Bridging the Gap session, Dr. Juan Michelle Martin discussed how doulas are instrumental in lowering the likelihood of cesarean births and unnecessary interventions during labor. Despite similar risk factors, Black women are significantly more likely to undergo cesarean deliveries compared to their white counterparts. Doulas help by providing continuous support and advocacy, ensuring that women have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their care. With programs like the Better Birth Project, GWHI is helping to train doulas to collaborate with healthcare providers, further reducing unnecessary interventions and improving birth outcomes for all women. 💡 Join us in improving maternal health outcomes: Your support can make a life-saving difference. https://buff.ly/40MKU7d #CesareanAwareness #DoulaSupport #MaternalHealth #WomensHealth #BridgingTheGap

How Does Ethnicity Affect Maternal Health? ⚕️ Maternal health is a critical issue that affects women and families worldwide. However, disparities exist, and ethnicity plays a significant role. Here are some key points to consider: 🩺 Disparities in Access: Women from certain ethnic backgrounds often face barriers in accessing quality prenatal and maternal care, leading to higher risks during pregnancy and childbirth. 📊 Higher Rates of Complications: Studies show that Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic women are more likely to experience complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and postpartum hemorrhage. 🤰 Cultural Sensitivity: Culturally tailored healthcare practices can significantly improve maternal outcomes. Understanding and respecting cultural differences in healthcare preferences and practices is crucial. 🗣️ Community Support: Strengthening community support networks and providing culturally competent education can empower women from diverse backgrounds, leading to better health outcomes. 🤝 Advocacy and Policy Change: Advocating for policies that address systemic inequities and promote equitable healthcare access is essential for improving maternal health across all ethnicities. 🔁 f you found this information helpful, please share it with your network! Repost to spread awareness and help others learn more about maternal health. Your support makes a difference! #MaternalHealth #HealthEquity #PublicHealth #DiversityInHealthcare #EthnicityAndHealth

Every mother and child deserve the best care during the prenatal and postnatal periods. While hospitals and clinics provide these critical services, some women opt for home births, which leads to higher child and maternal mortality rates and health risks. To address this issue and encourage women to opt for institutional births, India is making strides toward improving #maternalhealth, led by interventions under the National Health Mission. As lack of funds is the primary reason why women choose home deliveries, cash assistance is provided for delivery and post-delivery care through the Janani Suraksha Yojana. Additionally, the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram was introduced where deliveries are free. The Indian government is actively promoting institutional deliveries among those from underprivileged backgrounds. As a result, institutional deliveries have surged from 79% to 89% from the past six years, as per the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16) and NFHS-5 (2019-21). #InfosysFoundation is also committed to empowering mothers and newborns, by ensuring that quality care is accessible and affordable throughout the country. Our partnerships with C-CAMP and Sangath are positively impacting maternal care. From technological advancements to mental health support, we are ensuring every mother receives the care she deserves. We further aim to elevate #healthcare standards by reconstructing the Infant and Maternity Hospital in Karnataka. Together, we are building a healthier India, one mother and child at a time. #InfosysCSR

Idea 20 : Anemia is a major public health concern in India with 58.6% of children, 53.2% of non-pregnant women, and 50.4% of pregnant women being affected by the condition. While the government of India has set up https://lnkd.in/dDHz-tT8, there isn’t much concrete action on ground. We need to rethink of food items in ration kit or supplements that can be given to women to address this problem at large scale. Bring in health experts from across the country to address this on an urgent basis. #100days100ideas

These images speak volumes of the two years since the fall of #RoeVWade.   👎 14 states have enacted near-total #AbortionBans.   👎 19 states have banned #telemedicine #abortion   👎 Number of #abortions has gone up. The number of #abortions across #America actually increased, with increasingly accessible medication #abortion. But the fundamental realities of post-#Dobbs #America remain grim. Large #reproductive #care deserts with no #abortion providers for hundreds of miles have emerged. Pregnant #women struggle to get necessary medical care as doctors fear the repercussions of providing it. All of this is exacerbating long-standing inequities. Read more from Vox: https://lnkd.in/eYq67KMx

The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world where maternal deaths are rising—despite spending more money per capita on maternal health—and the racial disparities for families are widening. ▪ Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native women’s risk of dying is two to three times the rate of their white counterparts. ▪ Maternal mortality rates for Hispanic and Latina mothers dramatically increased during the pandemic. ▪ Data suggests that almost half of US counties have no or low access to maternity care, affecting up to 6.9 million women and almost 500,000 births across the U.S. We focus on maternal health and birth equity, because every birthing person deserves a system they can trust. https://lnkd.in/e5RBEmWr #ourwhy #maternalmortality #racialdisparities #systemschange