An estimated 8 women die each day from giving birth in Sierra Leone. Most of these deaths are preventable with proper care. Quality care while pregnant, during labor and after delivery can help these women enjoy the precious gift of motherhood without the fear of losing their lives or even their baby's lives. The Healey International Relief Foundation is helping to end maternal mortality by providing life-saving medical supplies to the 10 clinics and hospitals in our Charity Health Network.
Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world; 1,360 out of 100,000 mothers do not survive giving birth. The most common causes of maternal death reported are severe bleeding, high blood pressure, and infection. During a review of these numbers, it was determined that the majority of deaths were caused by a lack of availability of essential medicines and supplies, such as blood pressure machines, and testing agents for lab work.
By providing life-saving medical supplies to 10 hospitals and clinics in our Charity Health Network, healthcare providers can offer a higher quality of care. This can prevent a large number of maternal deaths through the early detection and proper treatment of complications such as preeclampsia, anemia, hypertension, diabetes, and infection. Each year, these facilities provide prenatal care to thousands of pregnant women who will benefit from quality during both pregnancy and delivery.
By taking on the challenges that cause preventable maternal deaths, we hope to make pregnancy safe for women in Sierra Leone. Currently, we are helping support the following facilities: Christ the King Hospital, St. Anthony's Clinic, Stella Maris Clinic, Monsignor Dan Sullivan Clinic, Mother Theresa Clinic, Loreto Health Services, Mile 91 Clinic, St. Mary's Clinic, Handmaid's Clinic, St. Joseph's Clinic. We hope to be able to expand our efforts further.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
