Project Lead(s): Gail Webber
Maternal deaths are common in this rural district of Tanzania because of long distances from the health facilities, difficulty finding transportation, costs of transport and hospital, and women’s beliefs about being able to deliver at home and fear of medication. Postpartum hemorrhage is known to be a leading cause of maternal death the world over.
There is evidence that suggests that, for years to come, millions of women will not have access to skilled birth attendance in Sub-Saharan Africa, and thus interventions to reduce deaths in non-attended births are needed. In the Mara region of Tanzania, over 60 percent of women deliver in their villages with no skilled attendants, thus interventions for these women are urgently needed.
Following a successful Stars Grant, the team set out to continue this demonstration project and develop a comprehensive business plan towards program sustainability. The demonstration project took place in the Mara Region of Tanzania.