Press release
USAID expands maternal and child health care activities in Senegal
DAKAR, September 19, 2006 – The United States, through
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has expanded its efforts
to bring about safe births and improved newborn and child care in Senegal with
$775,000 in new funding. The new funding will be used to help expand existing
USAID health activities in the regions of Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Thiès,
and Ziguinchor.
Of this amount, $485,000 (environ 243 millions de F CFA) will be used to improve
skilled birth attendance and newborn care, including life-saving procedures to
prevent excessive bleeding during childbirth, under USAID’s Safe Birth Africa
initiative. Severe bleeding during and after birth is responsible for about a
fourth of all maternal deaths worldwide, but is mostly preventable with simple
procedures and drugs. In addition to introducing these procedures on a pilot scale
in Senegal, other activities will include training of health care providers at
district centers and posts and community health huts to resuscitate babies who
are born not breathing well, promote early and exclusive breastfeeding, keeping
the infant warm after birth, and other newborn care practices.
Senegal was selected as one of two Save Birth Africa pilot countries, along
with Rwanda, because of its successful ongoing maternal and newborn care programs
carried out by the Government of Senegal and its development partners, and because
of the potential for large-scale impact. USAID hopes that this approach will bring
great benefits to mothers and infants over the next few years and will serve as
a model for other African countries.
An additional $140,000 will enable community mobilization and information
about preventing induced or spontaneous abortion, and raising awareness to help
women get emergency services and recover from abortions when they do occur. The
services available include emergency treatment of potentially life-threatening
complications, counseling, and the offer of a family planning method of the patient’s
choice to prevent heightened health risks associated with pregnancy too soon after
an abortion.
USAID is also providing $150,000 to expand training of village health volunteers
to properly treat children for pneumonia. Worldwide, pneumonia accounts for 20%
of all childhood deaths; placing powerful antibiotics in the hands of trained
community members has the potential to save the lives of tens of thousands of
young Senegalese each year.
This new assistance package comes in addition to the $13.7 million dollars
that USAID is making available this year for maternal and child health, activities
for prevention of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and reinforcement of health
services, planning and financing at the community level.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
is the lead agency for the U.S. Government providing economic development and
humanitarian assistance to people around the world. As an active partner of the
Government and people of Senegal, USAID listens to local concerns and priorities,
and then responds with joint activities to help reduce poverty, promote democracy
and economic growth, recover from disasters, and prevent conflicts. In Senegal,
USAID has invested over $1 billion in a wide range of projects since 1961 to tackle
constraints to national development.
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