Day 7

Three hours of obstetric training for a midwife in Eritrea

Many newborns

in a country with too few midwives

In the maternity clinic opened in 2005 in Asmara (capital of Eritrea), over 9,000 babies are born every year. Up to 30 births a day - an unimaginable number even for a large hospital in Germany. This represents a major challenge for the local staff. This makes it all the more important that local midwives are well trained.

need

Improved training for midwives

activity

Training courses for midwives are offered

Number of women participating in the training

Result

Maternal and newborn mortality is reduced

Systemically relevant impact

Improved medical infrastructure for children in Eritrea. The training of midwives is carried out by Eritrean midwives

background

Child health begins in the womb. The risk for child and mother is reduced if women regularly visit a doctor or midwife during pregnancy and give birth under medical supervision. However, many children still have to die or suffer for the rest of their lives because they do not receive timely or adequate medical care. The infant mortality rate is 17 times higher than in Germany, and one in 14 children does not live past the age of 5 (source: WHO, May 2013). There is not only a lack of medical equipment and consumables, but also a lack of qualified personnel. In the entire country with more than 6 million inhabitants, there are only around 300 doctors. A midwife earns the equivalent of just EUR 50 a month, which is why many have a second job and clinics are often understaffed. Neither the medical staff nor the Eritrean state can invest in training and further education measures.
The reason: Eritrea is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Over 80% of the population is employed in simple agriculture, and there is no significant industry (source: CIA World Factbook). The Eritrean state is making great efforts to improve medical care for the population, but the consequences of the decades-long war with neighboring Ethiopia are still noticeable.

The good deed

The maternity clinic in Asmara was opened in 2005. The clinic has played a major role in the fact that infant mortality in Asmara has almost halved within just a few years. This is thanks to the volunteer medical teams from Germany, who from the very beginning not only provided practical medical help, but also focused on training the local staff.