This project is currently in development
Maternity Waiting Houses are hostels where high-risk mothers can stay close to medical facilities prior to giving birth to reduce both the need for emergency transportation and the risk of delay in reaching emergency obstetric care should complications arise.
“High-risk” includes those expecting their first baby, women with many previous births, very young women, older women, and those identified as having problems such as high blood pressure during pregnancy.
In Kambia, some mothers live in villages that are up to a days walk away from the nearest health centre. If these women have been identified as “high-risk” and are likely to experience difficulties during labour, having access to transportation and a maternity waiting house close to the hospital during the weeks before they are due to give birth would help improve their chances of safe delivery and long term health.
The Maternity Waiting House will be a vitally important element of The Kambia Appeal’s programme of initiatives to help improve maternal and child health in the district.
