Greater Access, Better Outcomes
Every mother prays for an easy childbirth and a healthy baby. But in South Sudan, more mothers die from pregnancy complications than almost anywhere else in the world. With your support, CMMB is expanding healthcare access and welcoming more babies with the support of skilled health workers.
The Gift of a Safe Delivery
When it came time to give birth, 29-year-old Rita could only hope for a safe delivery. From her village in Ezo County, it was a 90-minute walk to the nearest health facility. Even if she made it, she doubted whether the hospital would admit her without money.
Rita gave birth at home, and when she experienced unusual bleeding, no help came. “I suffered at home until the bleeding stopped,” she told us. Without access to quality healthcare, pregnant women face life-threatening complications. Lately, though, fears about delivering are giving way to hope. Because of you, CMMB is delivering medicine and supplies to existing health
facilities and building new ones. We are training healthcare workers to serve those facilities and providing critical ambulance services so mothers can reach them. Through our CHAMPS program, CMMB-supported community health workers encourage women to attend antenatal visits. At these visits, midwives promote the benefits of delivering in a health facility. Slowly, word spreads. Rita was among the women who heard.
As women in her village delivered their babies under the care of skilled health professionals, Rita saw them return home—with healthy babies and kits packed with soaps and supplies.
The next time Rita was pregnant, she did not hesitate to seek medical care. At the hospital, she delivered a healthy son. Now, she knows she has a place to go when her family needs care. “The support from CMMB is an assurance of better health for me and my family,” she said.
CMMB supported 61 health facilities in South Sudan in FY 2024. We also completed the construction of three facilities supporting maternal, newborn, and child care and celebrated the handover of those and two others to the local government. Like Rita, 8,639 women delivered their babies in a health facility. Of these women, 282 received C-sections, and 100 were given emergency referrals for post-delivery complications. These numbers are a powerful testament to the impact of your generosity.