The Ultrasound Centre is so grateful to have the resources & opportunity to make such a big difference in this community!

In Mozambique, neonatal and maternal death rates are unacceptably high. Due to the alarming death rate, the government has identified this as a high priority issue. Our project is a joint effort between the community of Natikiri, Lurio University, the University of Saskatchewan, and the Nampula provincial department of health, and aims to decrease these mortality rates. Our goal is to ensure that members of the community will be educated about family planning and sexual/reproductive health, and that we can create environments that are able to receive labouring women and newborn babies in a safe and culturally sensitive manner. Women in Mozambique often have no prenatal care and no plan as to where or even when they will be delivering their 

child should they make it full-term. If the patient is lucky enough to be able to deliver in the hospital, they have access to some additional help and resources, however upon visiting these areas we saw a scene extraordinarily different compared to what you would expect to see in a hospital in North America. The birthing areas in the Mozambique Hospital had no sheets on the bed, no options for pain management, no monitors to asses maternal or fetal well-being, and no blankets to receive of comfort the child after birth. Coming from Canada, a country that takes pride in it's healthcare system, it is truly shocking to learn of the conditions other women around the world are faced with. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to make such an important change!

Our key focus areas:

-  Providing the hospital and staff with the technology and education necessary to provide ultrasound examinations for mother & baby.

-  Supporting the education of adolescents in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, family planning, and use of contraception.

-  Providing training in Emergency Obstetrical Care Guidelines, such as “Helping Babies Breathe”, “Helping Babies Survive", and more.

-  Developing a community based transportation system for pregnant women and newborns to attend prenatal visits and receive urgent care.

-  Provide resources to ensure 24/7 C-section capability.

Did you know:

-  50% of the Mozambique population is under the age of 19.

-  The current maternal death rate due to complications during pregnancy or childbirth in Mozambique is 498 women per 100,000 pregnancies. In Canada the maternal death rate is only 4 women per 100,000 pregnancies. 

-  The fetal death rate in Mozambique is 46 babies per 1000 born, in Canada this rate is only 3 per 1000 babies born.

Want to know more?

More information regarding this project and future projects can be found by visiting the official website!