An announcement of a pregnancy is normally a time of great joy and excitement for all concerned. However, in Somalia such news is more often than not tempered by the fear of the risks associated with pregnancy and delivery.
Somalia’s child and mother mortality rate ranks as one of the highest in the world.
Major challenges Somali mothers-to-be face include an acute lack of emergency obstetric care and the effective treatment of birth-related complications, such as haemorrhaging, obstruction and infection.
Responding, Gift of the Givers facilitates an invaluable and life-saving solution by assisting women during delivery and immediately post-partum.
The implementation of this intervention is aimed at bridging the gap between traditional birth attendants, midwives and medical facilities by education, referrals and transporting pregnant women to clinics for delivery. The organisation’s team of six midwives are active in Banadir, as well as the Middle and Lower Shabelle regions and offer antenatal care within communities and at local clinics, as well as raising awareness regarding the importance of vaccinating.
