Improving the Access to Healthcare for Mother & Child (Development Phase)

Each year over 2,500 women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth in Burkina Faso as reported by a 2009 report of Amnesty International and based on data by the Ministry of Health. Most of these deaths could be avoided if adequate obstetric care was available and accessible. Additionally according to UNFPA/WHO estimates for every woman who dies from complications related to childbirth approximately 20 more suffer from injuries infections and disabilities that can result in temporary or lifelong social and economic exclusion. The main and most important causes of the maternal mortality and morbidity and infant mortality is the lack of adequate healthcare services, including a need for both health infrastructure (healthcare facilities equipment etc) and skilled human resources.The Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso recently created six new health district to bring healthcare closer to the population. Five of these new districts have been selected for the project because they currently do not have a the facility for comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care. These five health districts are the districts of Mangodara in the Cascades Region (southwest Burkina Faso) the districts of Karangasso-vigué and Lena in the Hauts-Bassins Region (also southwest) and the districts of Manni and Gayéri in the Eastern Region.