Reducing Maternal Mortality in Southern Madagascar through Strengthening the Public Health System
Situation:
Pregnancy and childbirth remain high-risk for many women in southern Madagascar. Many live far from the nearest health facility, transport is often unavailable, and treatment costs often exceed what families can afford. Many facilities also face staff shortages, lack of equipment and shortages of essential medicines. As a result, births frequently take place at home without medical support. Complications that could be treated with timely care can become life-threatening there.
Objectives:
The project aims to reduce maternal mortality in southern Madagascar and make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women and newborns. To achieve this, project staff strengthen the quality of care in 34 health centres and three referral hospitals, train health professionals and community health workers, improve antenatal and emergency care, and reduce financial barriers. Around 20,000 pregnant women and their newborns benefit from better and safer care.
- Number of deliveries performed by qualified health care professionals
- Percentage of pregnant women facing “catastrophic health expenditure” (health care costs exceeding 25% of annual household income)
- Birth complications prevented through prenatal checkups
The project staff strengthen local health care around pregnancy and childbirth. This includes training for health professionals and community health workers, community awareness activities, mobile antenatal and ultrasound services, a referral and follow-up system, all-terrain ambulances for emergencies, and support with medicine supplies and treatment costs.
The approach strengthens existing local structures instead of building parallel systems. We invest in the skills of health workers, work with local trainers and support long-term train-the-trainer structures. This keeps knowledge in the region, improves the quality of care in a sustainable way and enables local teams to continue improving care independently.
What makes the project special is its continuous chain of care: women are supported from community awareness and antenatal care to mobile ultrasound services and safe childbirth. When complications occur, emergency transport is available. Through mobile clinics, the project also reaches remote regions and brings care closer to families.
Further information: https://www.doctorsformadagascar.com/
