The Seattle Times reports on a rise in Gates Foundation funding for programs that aim to improve maternal and newborn health–and according to Melinda Gates, investing in the health of moms and babies saves lives at a far lower cost than treating diseases later on.
“…Gates talked about teaching a method known as “Kangaroo Mother Care,” which encourages mothers to wrap and hold their babies until they can maintain their own body temperature. (In fact a study published this week found that “kangaroo mother care” cut newborn deaths by more than 50 percent and was more effective than incubators). Inexpensive drugs can also prevent mothers from hemorrhaging in childbirth.
Such a comprehensive program, together with contraception, could cut maternal deaths by 75 percent and reduce newborn deaths by 44 percent, she said…”
Read the full article, Melinda Gates: Foundation Investing More in Mothers and Newborns.
Melinda, we appreciate your efforts in the area of Maternal-child health and you are quite right about Kangaroo Care. I work in Rwanda and nurses there were starting to encourage mothers to put their babies skin-to-skin inside their dresses for all of the health benefits to both of them. Here in the US our moms and babes would also benefit from Kangaroo Care but our medical establishment fights anything that is so simple and natural. I know….I have been in Maternal-Child Health for 30 years. So if you can use your influence here in the US to encourage support for natural birth, breastfeeding, and mother and baby care, it will greatly improve our own statistics. Less intervention! High touch….not high tech! We appreciate the interventions when they are needed but so much is done that is not necessary…and it leads to unnecessary c-sections, etc. Let me know if you need help or information. I’m right here in Santa Barbara! Thank you for everything you do!