Bangladesh has made tremendous gains in improving reproductive, maternal, neo-natal and child health over the last decade but still 5,500 women and 16,500 babies die during child birth. To highlight the issue and visit partners who are able to operate vital services for mothers and babies thanks to donations to Comic Relief’s Sport Relief, Alex Jones traveled to Bangladesh to meet some incredible women.
Reena lost her first baby after a very difficult birthing procedure at home that wasn’t attended by a skilled birth attendant. Her labour was very painful and she didn’t get the chance to hold him before he died. She was devastated.
With proper medical attention and care at a BRAC delivery centre Reena’s second delivery was a successful one and she now has a gorgeous little girl. BRAC delivery centres offer mothers a safe place to give birth supported by a trained midwife and also operate antenatal services where babies can be weighed and checked and mothers can be treated for postnatal complications. A referral system ensures mothers get fast tracked into local hospitals if there are any problems during labour and receive proper care.
Click here to watch the programme on BBC I Player and here to read more about the BRAC Manoshi service which is expanding into more cities in Bangladesh.