Our Current Project UPDATE: Gojjam Region, Bichena Clinic

          Bichena Clinic 
 Maternal Health Care Suite  

The construction of this 4 room Maternal Health Care Suite addition to the existing clinic in Bichena is complete. The addition is dedicated to maternal care, specifically labor and delivery and post-partum care, including a recovery suite for mothers and babies.  This project involved a comprehensive maternal health care initiative that greatly impacts the care of women and their babies in the region.

Listen to the inspired words of our 
"Night of Hope" event sponsors, Kindred and Meredith Howard. Hear why they actively support building maternity suites in Ethiopia including the gala event they hosted in Atlanta! Click on the video link below.

Why build Maternal Health Care Suites?

Maternal deaths are a major challenge to health systems worldwide, but it is especially difficult in Ethiopia. In fact, more than 50% of global maternal deaths occur in 6 countries, including Ethiopia (UN Population Fund).  

1 in 14 Ethiopian women dies during pregnancy or childbirth. In 2011, Ethiopia recorded 676 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births (UN World Health Organization). Studies indicate the major causes of maternal death are from preventable and treatable complications, such as ruptured uterus, postpartum hemorrhage and preeclampsia/eclampsia (Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey – EDHS).

Major factors that contribute to maternal death include limited access to well-equipped and well-staffed health
facilities with obstetric care. Most of the health facilities in rural Ethiopia are not fully equipped with providers, equipment or staff to provide the services necessary to manage complications in pregnancy and childbirth  (UN Population Fund). In fact, the majority of maternal deaths occur in the early postpartum period (more than half within a day of delivery). Thus, access to care is essential to reducing maternal mortality (Ministry of Health, Ethiopia).

Presently women served by the Bichena Clinic are laboring and delivering their sweet babies in rooms where ALL patients are receiving medical care. Exposure to illness and risks for infections and  serious complications increase enormously without dedicated delivery and post partum care, hence the urgent need for a dedicated obstetric facility. 

We KNOW committing ourselves to improving maternal care will save lives --- please join us in support of these projects.