Pushing for action on maternal mortality
In poor countries, millions of mums are missing out on decent maternal care. This must - and can - change. All that's needed is the political will, and for governments to spend more on maternal care, and to spend it better.
Think of Sri Lanka and world-class cricket is probably more likely to spring to mind than world-class health care. So you might be surprised to learn that although Sri Lanka is one of the poorest countries in the world, it is one of the safest places for women to give birth.
By investing in hospitals and rural health posts, and through recruiting and training nurses, doctors and midwives, Sri Lanka turned its health system around. 97 per cent of women are now attended by a midwife, and 90 per cent of births occur in a health facility.
Photo: Howard Davies/Oxfam
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Health and education for all
Decent health care and quality education remain out of reach for hundreds of millions. Find out how we're calling for action.
However, there's still much progress to be made before decent maternal care becomes available for all pregnant women around the world.
This is the only hospital for the entire district of Sayoun in Yemen. While deliveries are free, treatment and medicines need to be paid for, meaning that they're often priced out of reach for the poorest people.
Photo: Abbie Trayler-Smith/Oxfam
So what needs to happen to make decent maternal care a reality for every mum-to-be? To start with world leaders must honour their promises to provide aid money to poor countries. Why? Because aid helps pay for the essentials, like drugs, nurses and hospital equipment.
Photo: Abbie Trayler-Smith/Oxfam
Aid works. And few know that better than the people of Zambia. In 2006 Zambia received a combination of aid and debt relief. This freed up enough cash to enable the Zambian Government to start providing free health care to people in rural areas. It was a huge leap forwards. 4 million people who were previously missing out now have access to the basics.
Photo: Oxfam
The Zambian Government didn't receive this extra cash by accident. It happened because in 2005 people across the globe called on world leaders to Make Poverty History. As a direct result of public pressure, the G8 agreed to provide aid and debt relief for some of the world's poorest countries. Zambia was one of the countries that benefited.
Thanks to campaigning by people like you, millions of mums now enjoy a happy, healthy pregnancy.
Photo: Kieran Battles/Oxfam
But creating decent health care systems is about more than just making sure governments have the cash to train midwives and pay for medicines. Women are often the last to seek medical attention when cost is involved, and in some countries, discrimination, injustice, and a lack education can prevent women from making choices about when to have children and when to seek medical treatment.
Photo: Howard Davies/Oxfam
Across the world, in both rich and poor countries, people are piling the pressure on governments to end the maternal health crisis. People like Dorothy Ngoma, head of the nurses and midwives' association in Malawi, are calling for governments to spend more on maternal care, and to spend it better.
Photo: Oxfam
