‘Save a Mum’ charity walk launched

The final phase of Chase Bank’s partnership with African Medical and Research Foundation (Amref) seeking to train 15,000 midwives by the end of this year has been launched.

The ‘Save a Mum’ charity walk was initiated two years ago after Chase Bank and Amref partnered to help create awareness on improved reproductive health services. This year’s event will mark the end of the partnership and will be held on March 28 at Ngong Road Forest Sanctuary.

The walk is aimed at supporting Amref’s Stand Up for African Mothers initiative which seeks to train 15,000 midwives by the end of 2015 in a bid to reduce maternal mortality by improving access to reproductive health services. Since inception the initiative has trained over 650 midwives in Kenya and 4,000 in Africa. Most of the trained midwives have been attached to various institutions in the counties.

According to the Chase Bank CEO Paul Njaga, once trained, a midwife is able to look after 500 mothers each year and safely deliver 100 babies. Statistics show that approximately 1.5 million African children are left motherless each year while 40% of African women do not receive pre and post natal care. More than half of all deliveries, especially in rural areas, take place at home without medical care.

“We are keen on women empowerment and this cause is very dear to us. 162,000 women die every year during childbirth due to lack of simple medical care and this walk is one of the many we can ensure that this is a thing of the past,” said Mr Njaga.

It is estimated that there are 30,000 midwives in Kenya, but only 15,000 are practising, hence the ratio of midwives to the population of Kenya is 1:1,300. According to the Kenyan demographic study released in 2008-09, the leading areas in maternal deaths are Nyanza followed by Coast with North Eastern completing the top three.

“Amref Health Africa is deeply concerned about the welfare of women and children and children, particularly those who live in hard to reach parts of Kenya and the African continent with limited or no access to proper and quality healthcare services. It is sad when a mother bleeds to death while giving birth, just because there was no one with proper skills to save her. And even if the child survives, he or she has to live without a mother,” said Amref health Africa interim CEO, Dr Lennie Bazira Kyomuhangi-Igbodipe.

So far the charity walk has been able to raise Ksh60million over the past three years and over 5,000 participants are expected to take part in this year’s campaign. “We call upon all Kenyans and Africans to support the campaign by participating in the upcoming charity walk though financial donations,” pleaded Dr Kyomuhangi-Igbodipe.