India Needs Safe Maternal Healthcare

White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood India (WRAI) announced the campaign ’Hamara Swasthya, Hamari Awaz’ under which WRAI plans to reach out to 1 lakh women across the country to understand what they would need for a safe maternal healthcare in India. Quality of care is considered a key component to a safe and sound maternal healthcare. Despite overall improvements in health indicators, India still has a pregnancy related death every twelve minutes; wherein, majority of these deaths are preventive. White Ribbon Alliance India hence, has taken up the initiative to work towards the improvement of ’Quality of Care’ for maternal healthcare by inclusion of voices from across the country.

The collective results from 1 lakh women would be launched and shared with Government of India and influencers in the country, envisioned to bring forth a better maternal healthcare. Dr. Aparajita Gogoi, the National Coordinator of White Ribbon Alliance said, "Our strategy is to encourage and empower women to speak out about the care they want and ensure that their voices are heard. We believe that when women vocalize their priorities, it would be easier for program implementers and policy makers to address their needs."

"We have reached out to 100,000 women across country even at interior locations. We will share the strong collective voices of the Campaign on ’National Safe Motherhood Day’ aiming towards an assertive action for the voices," added Dr. Gogoi. Women, especially the ones living in rural rungs of the country face multiple challenges with maternal healthcare services in public healthcare sectors due to issues like shortage of funds, problems with human resource and infrastructure, lack of requisite facilities for institutional deliveries and many more.

Hence, it is important to engage women directly and understand the change they would wish for a better maternal healthcare service, erouting towards equity and dignity for all women and children.

Source-ANI