Oxfam/Mumsnet trip to Malawi to highlight maternal mortality. Make your views known/ask any questions you'd like answered

[Carriemumsnet]

Hi there

Following earlier initiatives like the blanket squares and a couple of trips to Downing Street, Oxfam have asked us to go with them on a fact-finding/press trip to Malawi to highlight the massive problem of maternal mortality. The reason they've asked us to do this is because of your political clout and, as the election approaches, they're looking for ways of keeping this issue on the political agenda.

If you know/agree with the arguments about why healthcare should be free for women and children, and Western governments should be held to account over the promises they made at the start of this Millennium, then please sign up to the Million Mums Campaign (if you haven't already) and add a comment to this thread, even if it's just to say you've signed up. There'll be another call to action around Mother's Day in March.

If you're undecided or have specific questions you'd like to ask Oxfam, or DFID - the Department for International Development - then please post them here too. During the trip we'll be meeting people who have been directly affected by maternal death, plus midwives, Oxfam workers, the Minister for Health and a representative from DFID, so there should be plenty of opportunities to get questions answered.

In Malawi, on average 1 woman in every 100 will die in pregnancy or childbirth, that's around 14 women every day. In 2000 both rich and poor nations committed to reducing maternal mortality rates by 75% by 2015. In the last 10 years there has been no improvement, but the goal is completely achievable if there is sufficient political will.

The trip starts on Sunday and - computer access allowing - we'll be reporting back on what we've seen and who we've met - so watch this space and do please feel free to post comments and questions here.

Thanks,
MNHQ

thanks pw - it is a complicated argument that I don't rightly understand !

That looks like a really interesting blog

Don't beat yourself up - there are people who have been working in development for 20 years who still aren't sure what they think about this issue! I think it is true to say that Moyo's take is over-simplistic though.

P2P is a great blog - there aren't many blogs I read regularly but that's one of them.

Done.

I've signed up.

I've signed up

To think that support for Obama is wavering because he wants to make basic healthcare free for all in the USA, one of the richest nations in the world - unbelievable.

I've signed up. But it is worth remembering that it's not just third world countries where women suffer, the USA and China are pretty piss-poor when it comes to offering their poorest citizens basic healthcare.

Rhubarb - it's interesting, I can understand on the one hand why people in the US are so worried, because they are genuinely fearful that his reforms will bankrupt the country. But then on the other hand...SHAME on rich, powerful Americans for allowing generations of their poor compatriots to suffer for so long! If they'd pulled their heads out of their arses decades ago like the rest of the rich world they wouldn't be facing this problem now. Tough shit IMO.

Speedy, sadly do you not think that if the NHS had not been put in place all those years ago, it would have a chance now?

What sickens me is that the people who oppose these reforms are the people who can afford them, they just don't see why they should pay for 'other people's healthcare'. And then in the US the opposition actually have the gall to slag off the NHS saying that it's biased and bleeding our country dry!

Policy - thanks for the link to P2P - fascinating reading there

Woollyjo - what you said about sanitation and girls education, and then the link to maternal health is spot on.. addressing underlying issues is vital

A colleague sent me a newspaper clipping a while back - I think it was Kenya, where a mum in labour had to use the toilet and actually birthed the baby into a pit latrine and it couldn't be rescued. Heartbreaking

Think its brilliant mumsnet is highlightling this issue. (already signed up). Look forward to your feedback on the trip Carrie, I think you are very brave, not sure I would cope with it.

Rhu - yes, it's possible that had the NHS not been established in the 50s (it was the 50s, right?) we would be in the same sorry state as the USA. Our society is far more self-centred nowadays, isn't it? I was reminded of that this morning, reading this article in the Times about saving money during the War - it's all about personal responsibility towards the collective. Just imagine the response to such proposals being made today!

I don't know when other European nations put their healthcare systems in place, probably around a similar time. And that's exactly why it's so shameful that the US has left it so long to look after its own - there was already a precedent sweeping across Europe; yet they clearly didn't care enough to develop their own version. And yet so many of the more objectionable Yanks puff around bragging about being 'the greatest country in the world'. Yeah, right. Let's not even go into their human rights abuses...of Americans, I'm not even thinking of Guantanamo Bay!

The thing about the NHS (vs the US policy of abandoning the poor) is that of course it's a faulty system. How on earth could those argumentative Americans you mentioned expect flawed human beings to come up with a perfect system for doing anything? It's faulty and expensive, but it's a damned sight better in every way than neglecting and abandoning sick, poor people. Especially when they profess such a strong religious faith - it's repeated countless times throughout the Bible that the poor and needy should be looked after by those better off. Bunch of hypocrites.

So they have no excuse, whichever way you look at it. Shameful, shameful, shameful.

Oricella - that pit latrine story is unbelievably sad. Oh, how awful.

I have used pit latrines in East Africa and they are actually brilliant for keeping your bowels healthy - far better than sitting on a toilet. Think of the difference between labouring on a bed and while squatting. But it never occured to me that such a horrible tragedy could result from it - you hear of babies being born in toilets in similar circumstances, but at least they can be rescued. Oh, that's terribly sad.

Have signed up and donated

I've signed up and donated

Have signed up.

I do think that reducing maternal mortality needs far reaching changes - getting girls into education and keeping them there (providing good latrines, washing facilities, food incentives so that they don't feel they are depriving their family by being there), health care for children (poor bone growth and rickets are major risk factors for not being able to deliver), ensuring that health care professionals are trained in country, and if possible, in region, to reduce the chance of them leaving/never returning, and provision and education about family planning to enable women to make choices about timings and spacings

Hi there

Thanks so much for all the comments and for signing the petition. As well as helping the White Ribbon Alliance to reach their million mums target it's also useful ammunition when we want to show that MNers care about this issue. It would be great to have 1000 people on the thread saying they've signed the million mums campaign - heck we should be able to get them their million just from Mumsnet - so please encourage anyone and everyone to sign

Have just heard from Oxfam that we might be meeting Malawi's vice president Joyce Banda, so they've suggested that it would be good to have some questions ready for her if you have any.

Agree with all those who've said far reaching changes will be needed - am sure the aid agencies know that, but it can't harm to keep reminding those in power.

Thanks again and keep the comments/ questions coming.

In case folks need another reminder, here's the link to sign up

Thanks

Should have mentioned that I signed up then.

I will sign up in a minute, improving maternal health in developing countries is a brilliant cause. Few things (I work in International Development when not on mat leave):

The Donors (DFID in this case) decide what the priority countries, topics and funding schedules are. So DFID will have decided on funding this scoping visit to Malawi with a view to (probably) releasing a tender for funds to address this problem later on. On DFID's website you can read the report on each countries priorities from their point of view.

Most donors encourage organisations to work with other organisations in a consortium, therefore building on numerous strengths and diversity. At least 1 local organisation is also required (helps capacity building and local knowledge/relationships with government).

Most donors emphasise local capactity building. This will probably be a requirement of the larger project, I expect they are currently trying to assess the scale of the problem in addition to the local situation / resources.

I look forward to reading about the trip!

"LeninGrad - will certainly do my best to ask what I can. The first day's activities currently stand as: "the team will visit and interview a family that has experienced a maternal death, an orphan (as a result of maternal death), a mother who lost a child in child birth. If I can still speak after that I will ask what I can."

What??

And who has asked this family/orphan/mother if they want to speak to lots of outsiders? Not getting at you, Carrie, but one of the things you might do is remind the 'professionals' that you meet that these are PEOPLE and that they grieve JUST LIKE US. The fact that death is more prevalent does not make it less tragic. It means life is more tragic.

2jam, I have no doubt Oxfam will obtain informed consent from the people they have arranged to meet with. Most Oxfam projects (and indeed, most development projects - or good ones at least) work with beneficiaries as equals. As you say, they are 'professionals'

Have signed up.

This is a bit of a random thought, but wondered if it was worth a brainstorm. DH was in Nairobi last year and he said the amazing thing is that although everyone in the slums was living in the most abject poverty, they all had mobile phones. As any other formal infrastructure was missing, it was the only way to keep in touch.

I am not sure if this is also true in Malawi, but I was just idly wondering whether this information could somehow help to underpin some kind of educational campaign via text message or something?

I'm trying to sign up and donate but I can't get on to the website.

Have tried various links but no joy. Will keep trying.

Good luck with your trip Carrie. A great campaign for Mumsnet to support.

I've signed up and sent the link to all other mums I know. I had four midwives at the birth of my son on a Sunday morning in central London and couldn't help feeling guilty, knowing that women around the world were giving birth in appalling circumstances. As a PR pro on mat leave, I would be happy to help this campaign in anyway that I can.