WHY IS MATERNAL HEALTH IMPORTANT?
Haiti has the highest maternal mortality rate in the Western Hemisphere, making it the most dangerous country to give birth in the region. The maternal mortality rate in Haiti is 350 deaths per 100,000 births; a shockingly high number when compared to the US maternal mortality rate of 12.7 deaths per 100,000 births. Many of these children simply die because their parents did not have access to basic medicine, newborn and prenatal care.
Haiti has the highest mortality rate in the western hemisphere for children under five, infants and mothers.
Maternal and reproductive health is an essential element of good health and human development. It is important in eradicating poverty, disease and combating malnutrition. It is also important in slowing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and AIDS, and improving gender equality.
CNP/Kore Timoun is working on this issue.