Malawi has an extremely high maternal mortality rate of 1800:100,000 live births.
BKFA started working with St John’s College of Nursing in Mzuzu to distribute our birthing kits in 2006.
In Malawi the BKFA is in partnership with:
1. Carole Tomvale (formerly St John’s College of Nursing)
2. Sustainable Rural Community Development Organisation (SURCOD)
Participating Organisations
Carole Tomval
The kits are distributed via local community leaders. 4 Kits are given to each student Traditional Birth Attendant per month after a 4 week training course. A total of 7,400 kits have been supplied to date.
Feedback from their last reporting form. Have you noticed a reduction in childbirth related infections since the introduction of the birthing kits? If yes please give details. "Definitely, as without these kits we would have no soap, gloves or cord ties or swabs. We are using the kits in a hospital situation, the plastic we sew and make plastic bags for lining in the medical waste bin. The scalpel blade is used to cut the cord and given to the mother and is then used to shave the babies head at one month."
Sustainable Rural Community Development Organisation (SURCOD) (http://surcodmalawi.weebly.com/)
SURCOD is a new partner for the BKFA. A pilot program of 200 kits has been sent. On successful delivery of the kits a further 5,000 will be sent in 2012.