Women’s World Health Initiative Announces Start of Key Initiative
Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) March 10, 2014 -- The Women’s World Health Initiative (WWHI) announced today the launch of the Community Based – Malaria, Anemia program (CB-MAP) in the Saraya health district of Senegal. The aim of the program is to accelerate the reduction of anemia among pregnant and postpartum women, one of the identified contributors to the high rate of mortality among women and children in Senegal (five women and 41 newborns die each day).
“We’re extremely pleased that the Women’s World Health Initiative, with support from Oromin Joint Venture Group and Teranga Gold Corp, is able to launch this program in Senegal. In the rural region where WWHI works, it is thought that only 50% of women access a healthcare provider during any part of their pregnancy and for many women, this program will be their first contact with a healthcare provider,” commented Dana Allison, Founder and Executive Director of WWHI. “One of our goals for the program is to increase the rate of antenatal visits in the health posts of Daloto to 90% by February, 2015 and ensure that 80% of pregnant and postpartum women benefit from folic acid and iron supplementation, malaria testing and treatment and improved nutrition by Feb. 2015. These goals represent healthcare that many women in industrialized countries take for granted as must-dos during their pregnancies and could save the life of the woman who now will receive the help. That is priceless.”
The program officially began on February 14th and this phase of the initiative is expected to be complete in mid-June, at which time expansion and extension of the program will be discussed.
“This program represents an opportunity for women in Senegal to have access to healthcare and gain control of their health and the health of their children. If implementation goes as expected, we see this as being the start of a sustainable health program in Senegal,” commented Dr. Kabou, Saraya District Doctor.
About Women’s World Health Initiative
Since its inception, WWHI has garnered worldwide attention for its grassroots efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality in developing countries. Summer of 2012, WWHI placed among the top 200 charities in the Chase Community Giving Campaign and was later selected as one of 17 nationwide charities to receive an additional $30,000 grant. Its mission is simple: it helps save the lives of mothers and their infants in vulnerable populations worldwide.
WWHI is a 501(c)(3) organization.
Dana Allison, Women's World Health Initiative, http://www.wwhi.org, +1 6462857165, [email protected]
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