According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 830 women die every year due to preventable causes of pregnancy and childbirth. (Representative image: Shutterstock)
National Safe Motherhood Day 2022: The day aims to work towards providing better medical facilities to pregnant or new mothers to reduce the maternal mortality rate
National Safe Motherhood Day 2022: National Safe Motherhood Day is observed every year on April 11 as a day to raise awareness about adequate access to care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal period. The day aims to work towards providing better medical facilities to pregnant or new mothers to reduce the maternal mortality rate. National Safe Motherhood Day 2022 marks the 19thanniversary of the day’s first observation in 2003 on the proposal of the White Ribbon Alliance (WRAI), an alliance of more than 1800 Non-Governmental organisations (NGO) focused on ending maternal mortality and improving maternal and newborn health.
History
India is among the most high-risk countries to give birth. More than 35,000 women in India every year lose their life due to the non-availability of proper care during pregnancy. To raise awareness about the issue, the Government of India declared April 11 asNational Safe Motherhood Day at the request of WRAI in 2003. The day coincides with the birth anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi.
Theme
The theme for National Safe Motherhood Day is selected by the members of WRAI to carry out full-scale campaign activities raising awareness about healthcare and maternity facilities for pregnant women and new mothers. The government has not announced the theme for this year officially. The activities designed for the National Safe Motherhood Day 2022 will also focus on creating awareness about women’s safety and ensuring the right to live under any condition.
Significance
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 830 women die every year due to preventable causes of pregnancy and childbirth. The officials reckoned that skilled care before, during and after childbirth can save the lives of women and newborn babies and there was a need to run campaigns informing women on ways to reduce mortality chances. National Safe Motherhood Day aims to bring the global mortality rate down to 70 per 1000 births as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.
