Transaid is working with Health Partners International (HPI) to improve child and maternal health across Zambia through the MAMaZ project (Mobilizing Access to Maternal Health Services in Zambia).
Research has shown that approximately 80 per cent of maternal deaths could be prevented if a woman had access to essential maternity and basic healthcare services.
The project, funded by the UK Department for International Development DFID, aims to stop women and babies dying uneccessarily in childbirth by looking at the main barriers pregnant women, mothers and newborns face when accessing healthcare.
In Zambia the maternal mortality rate stands at 530 deaths per 100,000*. There is still a long way to go if the Millenium Development Goals target of a 75% reduction to 185 per 100,000 live births is to be reached by 2015. Access to a health facility is one of the main factors affecting life threatening maternal complications due to patient location and the cost and availability of reliable transport.
Transaid conducted a study to analyse what emergency transport exists on the ground and has made recommendations on how to improve access. We are working with local Zambian partners to design and test community – led and facility managed interventions such as bicycle ambulances, motorcycle ambulances, ox/donkey carts and boats. Each intervention will be monitored to see what works best and the most successful innovations will be rolled out across Zambia.
The project is being conducted in the central, southern and western provinces and will expand to three more regions before the end of the year.
Find out more here.
*Figure taken from UNICEF
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