11 Apr : A ‘Million Mums’ campaign on Safe motherhood, aimed at raising awareness about a large number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth besides voicing their need for health care facilities will be launched on 11th April.
The campaign is significant in view of the fact that 78,000 women die each year in India due to problems arising from childbirth and pregnancy, which means every seven minutes one woman dies due to these complications.
It is being launched by the White Ribbon Alliance of India, a coalition of organisations working together to increase awareness, build alliances and act as a catalyst for action in order to reduce maternal mortality. It is being launched to mark Safe Motherhood Day on 11th April.
The campaign would strive to bring together an active group of people to campaign for healthcare for pregnant women worldwide and speaking out against maternal mortality.
It aims at joining together a million mums (or more), raise a million pounds (at least) and provide a united voice to speak out against maternal mortality.
Meanwhile, UNICEF is taking help of film actress Ravina Tondon to increase awareness about the need to ensure that primary healthcare that embraces every stage of maternal, newborn and child health be made available to all most vulnerable women and children so that they can survive and thrive.
UNICEFs flagship publication, the State of the Worlds Children Report 2009 (SOWC), emphasises that delivering essential services for mothers, newborns and children in a timely fashion at critical points in the life cycle of mothers and children is key to the health and survival of mothers and their newborns.
Essential services include enhanced nutrition, safe water and sanitation facilities and skilled assistance at delivery, among others.