WHO supports Eritrea Maternity Waiting Homes with essential infection prevention and control equipment

ERITREA – WHO has delivered vital Infection prevention and Control (IPC) equipment, that will significantly contribute to the effectiveness of Infection prevention and Control Interventions in the Eritrean Maternity Waiting Homes that valued at 162,000.00 Eritrean Nakfa.

This is to strengthen the capacity to increase facility delivery for women living in remote geographic areas.

The donation is part of World Health Organization Eritrea support to Ministry of Health for the continuity of essential health services on Maternal and Newborn health.

Earlier this year, twenty equipment sets of Solar Suitcases and Lithium Ferrous Phosphate (LFP) including 12-volt replacement batteries valued at 599,850.00 Nakfa were officially handed over to the official representative of the MoH for onward delivery identified Maternity Waiting Homes spread across the country.

WHO reports that about 830 women die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications around the world every day. It was estimated that in 2015, roughly 303 000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth. Almost all of these deaths occurred in low-resource settings, and most could have been prevented.

Last year, Dr. Moeti, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Africa, launched the Technical Advisory Group on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health in the WHO African Region.

The group has a duty of advising WHO on overall regional policies and strategies related to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescents’ health.

Maternity waiting homes are residential facilities where women living remotely stays before giving birth at health facilities and were introduced as a strategy in 2007 in hard to reach regions of Southern Red Sea supported by WHO.

This is to strengthen the capacity to increase facility delivery for women living in remote geographic areas.

Remarking, the best practices of Eritrea in reducing maternal and child mortality rate, strengthening the Maternity Waiting Homes will play role in maintaining the remarkable achievements.

Thus, these essential equipment’s include twelve Washing Machines of 14 kilograms capacity and will be distributed to the twelve maternity waiting homes in the Southern Red Sea which is a remote area of the country.

They are expected to supplement the ongoing effort to the Infection prevention and Control Interventions especially during the COVID-19 pandemic era.