Ten years ago, the infant mortality rate
in Cartagena, Colombia was a dangerously high 48 deaths per 1,000 live births
-- twice the national level – with adolescent mothers suffering in particular .
A successful Neonatal Care and Adolescent
Mothers Program, supported by AmeriCares,
helped reverse this alarming trend, making a crucial difference in the lives of
Cartagena’s young women and children.
The programs, established by the Fundación
Juan Felipe Gomez Escobar, aimed to expand maternal and infant health services at
its Medical Center and reduce mortality for this vulnerable population.
AmeriCares sends significant shipments
of critical medicines including antibiotics, drugs to prevent harmful extended
labor, pain relievers, topical ointments, and needed medical supplies to the Fundación
in support of their efforts.
Lifesaving
Goal, Life-Changing Impact
Premature babies and newborns in need of
specialized critical care are now seen at the Neonatal Care Unit. Highlights over the past six years:
- An
estimated 2,300 infant lives have been saved.
- Perinatal
mortality declined steeply thanks to programs like this one that provide
critical services immediately after birth.
- Overall
infant mortality in Cartagena has fallen by nearly 50 percent -- to 25 deaths
per 1,000 live births, a rate close to the national level.
Photo courtesy of Fundación Juan Felipe Gomez Escobar.
Young mothers and babies benefit from donated childcare supplies and educational baby-care workshops.
Young mothers participating in the Adolescent Mothers Program are
well-taken care of, receiving complete prenatal care and support during
pregnancy. The program ensures that young moms-to-be give birth in a hospital,
benefit from regular postnatal care, and have access to:
- A vital support
system:
Courses in infant care are available to mothers before and after their babies
are born, giving young women a sense of what motherhood will entail and
creating a vital support system for them to rely upon.
- Skills training: Technical
training workshops and educational support empower new mothers with skills to help
support themselves and their babies for years to come.
- Childcare
products: AmeriCares sends
shipments of diapers and toddler briefs, as well as formula for malnourished
children and for mothers who cannot breastfeed.
These products reduce financial strain on young mothers and encourage
them to return for pediatric visits and attend regular skill-building and baby-care
workshops.
AmeriCares donations help the
Medical Center, which provides 13,000 patient visits annually, meet its
immedate needs and allows the Fundación to channel its resources more effectively to support these successful
programs.
