Damascus-SANA
With the aim of raising global awareness on issues related to the safety of mothers and newborns, especially during childbirth, the World Health Organization has chosen the topic “Safe care of mothers and newborns” as the title of the World Patient Safety Day for 2021, which falls on the 17th of September.
This year's theme emphasizes the call for urgent and sustainable action to expand efforts to reach mothers and ensure safe care for them and their newborns, and to endorse and adopt best practices at points of care to prevent avoidable risks and harms during childbirth.
In terms of numbers, the World Health Organization indicates that about 810 women around the world die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and about two million children are born dead every year, and more than 40 percent of these cases occur during childbirth.
In Syria, the Ministry of Health continues to implement a number of integrated health programs to ensure the health of the mother and child and reduce the number of deaths during, during and after pregnancy through pregnant care, in addition to providing tetanus vaccine for women of childbearing age, postpartum care, health education, and the national vaccination program for children from birth, which consists From 11 vaccinations, reproductive health programs and newborn care, according to the Director of Health Care in the Ministry, Dr. Razan Tarabishi.
In a statement to SANA’s delegate, Dr. Tarabishi indicated that the reproductive health program aims to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity by raising the percentage of women who receive care during pregnancy, childbirth and after, carrying out deliveries by trained and qualified hands, using family planning methods, and raising awareness of methods for early detection of breast and cervical cancers.
Reproductive health services are provided free of charge in various governorates through 960 centers, including women’s care before and during pregnancy, during childbirth and after childbirth, and child care until he reaches 40 days of age to ensure his physical and psychological health, according to Dr. Tarabishi, pointing out that the reproductive health program provides family planning service. Through safe means and leaving a period of time between pregnancies to ensure the health of the mother and children.
In turn, the Director of the Newborn Care Program, Dr. Manal Al-Hamad, indicated that the program aims to care and ensure the safety of newborns. It is divided into the newborn resuscitation program and the neonatal clinics that are spread in different governorates through 16 clinics that provide “hip echo” services, “hearing and vision examination” and comprehensive medical services in addition to an application The ENAP surveillance system is currently being implemented in 4 governorates to study the condition of newborns during the first 28 days of birth, to identify health problems that appear during this period, and to develop appropriate plans to reduce infant mortality and preterm births.
Dr. Al-Hamad clarified that the main causes of newborn deaths, according to a study prepared by the Ministry and announced its results in 2019, are prematurity, perinatal asphyxia, sepsis and congenital malformations.
World Patient Safety Day was first celebrated in 2019 to promote global understanding of patient safety, increase public engagement in safe healthcare, and promote global action to enhance patient safety and reduce harm.
Rama Rashidi
