Born Healthy, Together
How USAID is preventing maternal and child deaths in Guatemala
Dilma Castillo López, a 31 year old indigenous woman, holds her twin girls lovingly, thankful that they are both healthy. Just four months ago the situation was dire. Dilma woke up one morning and began having painful contractions. She was visited by a nurse from the local Permanent Care Center, a comprehensive care center run by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance of Guatemala, and they determined that Dilma needed to go to the center to receive immediate medical attention. The problem, however, was that Dilma lived in the village of Santo Domingo Huica in the department of Huehuetenango, which is inaccessible by road.
In Guatemala, one in five girls have given birth by age 19 and the average maternal mortality ratio is 113 deaths per 100,000 live births, the highest in Central America. Here, lack of access to healthcare has life and death consequences, especially for indigenous women, where the risk of maternal mortality is 38 percent higher than average.
USAID’s Improved Health and Nutrition project supports community level health care professionals and municipal governments to recognize health emergencies and to develop emergency response plans; support the adoption of healthy behaviors such as breastfeeding, hand washing, nutrition, adequate birth spacing, gender-based violence prevention, safe sexual practices, responsible fatherhood; and train young women to be culturally sensitive midwives to serve in their communities. This work creates healthier communities and reduces preventable maternal and child deaths.
Access to Dilma's house from the main road is complicated by steep slopes, ravines, and rivers. USAID supported health care providers from the Permanent Care Center accompanied her on this journey to La Libertad, where she was transferred to a waiting ambulance. “Thanks to the community technician and the community facilitators of the Health and Nutrition Project, they gave me advice and the motivation to leave the house immediately and be transferred to a hospital," said Dima about the help she received getting to the hospital.
Throughout Dilma’s pregnancy she participated in USAID’s specialized care for pregnant and postpartum women as well as families with children under 2 years of age. With this support she was prepared for the complications that can arise during pregnancy.
More than six million people In Guatemala, approximately 35 percent of the country’s population, lack access to basic health and nutrition services. USAID’s programs improve communities’ health and nutrition through the support of local health care providers. USAID’s efforts to reduce preventable maternal and child deaths contributes to the Root Causes Strategy of the United States government to address the drivers of irregular migration. Dilma, her husband, and the twins remain in good health and are receiving follow up visits with healthcare professionals.
Credits:
USAID Guatemala Heath and Nutrition