Ending Newborn Deaths + Ensuring Every Baby Survives #FirstDay

According to new research published today by Save the Children, the first 24 hours of a child’s life are the most dangerous, with more than one million babies dying each year on their first and only day of life. This new report, “Ending Newborn Deaths” shows one half of first day deaths around the world could be prevented if the mother and baby had access to free health care and a skilled midwife.

Let me repeat that again…one half of first day deaths around the world could be prevented if the mother and baby had access to free health care and a skilled midwife.

I saw this reality when I traveled to Indonesia with Save the Children last December. I witnessed mothers and midwifes desperately wanting to save these little lives. I saw the lack of free health care and the need for highly skilled midwifes. I heard stories of mothers not going to hospitals to deliver…because it was simply too expensive. I spoke with brave midwives that dedicate their lives to saving babies. And talked with pregnant mothers who quietly shared their fears of having complications during labor and delivery…fears that their babies won’t survive.

The Story in Numbers

Just in case you don’t click here to read the new Ending Newborn Deaths report, I wanted to share with you these telling numbers…

Save the Children’s Recommendations…

Save the Children is calling on world leaders, philanthropists and the private sector to implement – this year – a five-point Newborn Promise to end all preventable newborn deaths:

• Governments and partners issue a defining and accountable declaration to end all preventable newborn mortality, saving 2 million newborn lives a year and stopping the 1.2 million stillbirths during labor

• Governments, with partners, ensure that by 2025 every birth is attended by trained and equipped health workers who can deliver quality care including essential  newborn health interventions

• Governments increase expenditure on health to at least the WHO minimum of US$60 per capita, to pay for the training, equipping and support of health workers

• Governments remove user fees for all maternal, newborn and child health services, including emergency obstetric care

• The private sector, especially pharmaceutical companies, should help address unmet needs by developing innovative solutions and increasing availability for the poorest to new and existing products for maternal, newborn and child health.

How You Can Help…

• Get Involved
• Support Save the Children

Other Resources

• Newborn Health
• Healthy Newborn Network
• Every Newborn Action Plan
• Twitter Hashtag: #FirstDay

I wrote this post as part of The Global Team of 200, a highly specialized group of members of Mom Bloggers for Social Good that concentrates on issues involving women and girls, children, world hunger and maternal health. Our Motto: Individually we are all powerful. Together we can change the world. We believe in the power of collective action to help others and believe in ourselves to make this world a better place for our children and the world’s children.

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