Saving the Lives of Moms & Babies – Caring Response Madagascar Foundation

The goal is simple-

to reduce maternal and infant deaths in the time during and immediately following a birth. The statistics in Madagascar are grim.
-Maternal mortality rate: 353/100,000 live births (versus 24 in the United States, WHO data)
-Infant mortality rate: 34/1000 live births (versus 7 in the United States, 2015 World Bank statistic)
-Neonatal mortality rate (deaths in the first 28 days): 18/1000 (2017 Unicef)

It began with the basics…

In 2011, the CRMF medical outreach team partnered with the Ankirihiry CSB2 clinic in urban Toamasina. Cincinnati-based obstetrician Dr. Carol Egner saw that postpartum hemmorage, hypertension, and post-delivery infection were areas of great risk for new mothers. The CRMF-funded plan had multiple components.Upgrades included running water, equipment, and supplies. Sterilized cord clamps were introduced to reduce the risk of infection in newborns.

and continues despite the pandemic.

Like all other programs, changes have been necessary as a result of COVID-19. Now, Ankirihiry midwives participate in monthly videoconference calls with obstetrician Dr. Dave Dhanraj. The midwives can continue to increase their abilities and confidence in critical skills like stopping hemorrhage, pain management, preventing hypertension, and resuscitating babies.

Midwives talk to Dr. Dave Dharnaj via teleconference.

Midwife Mandimbarivelo ready for work

Expansion, Recognition, and Special Deliveries

Under the direction of Drs. Carol Egner and Dave Dhanraj (obstetrics) and Dr. Alberte from CSB Ankirihiry II, the program has continued to expand.

2012 – CRMF began funding the Helping babies Breathe program – an internationally recognized program focuses on newborn ressucitation. Dr. Egner conducted training classes for local doctors, nurses, and mid-wives to enable them to save lives.

2013 – The Ministry of Health requested that the training program be expanded to other regions based upon its success, and the women trained in the past became the teachers. New training incorporated critical care issues in pregnancy and recognizing the signs of stress in newborns.

2014 – Dr. Egner researched, created, and taught local practitioners to create a simple device to reduce postpartum hemorrage. All patients in the delivery ward received iron and vitamins to help combat malnutrition.