Today, a large number of Senegalese women give birth at home under extremely difficult conditions. Consequently, the neonatal mortality rate is significant, standing at around 35%. But how can the conditions for these women, for whom giving birth could be fatal, be improved? How can we promote better maternity care in Senegal? Let’s explore the reality of this alarming situation and the solutions that can change the lives of millions of Senegalese women.
What are the Conditions of Childbirth in Senegal?
Childbirth is experienced differently in countries like Senegal. While some are content with hospital deliveries, others still adhere to more traditional methods: home births.
Naturally, this method is primarily used in rural areas, far from any medical care facilities.
Herein lies a problem. In rural areas, health posts are scarcer, and only 30% of them do not have midwives. Moreover, many do not have the resources to provide basic neonatal care, such as antibiotics or treatments for potential infections or complications.
Modern childbirth in Senegal has made considerable progress thanks to the implementation of ambitious public policies, such as Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
This initiative now allows all Senegalese women, particularly those whose health or that of the fetus requires surgical intervention, to have access to quality obstetric care, including cesarean section.
A cesarean section is performed in several situations, such as mandatory cesareans, necessary cesareans, and precautionary cesareans. These types of cesareans are carried out when complications arise during pregnancy or childbirth, necessitating rapid intervention to preserve the health of the mother and child.
With the implementation of Universal Health Coverage, access to cesarean sections has become more equitable. The associated care, including the surgical procedure, pre-operative assessments, as well as the necessary medications and supplies, are now free in the country’s public health facilities.
These facilities include hospitals, health centers, as well as SONU (Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care) and other health institutions with an operating block.
In Senegal, the percentage of births taking place in health facilities has significantly increased by more than 50% over the past 20 years. However, it should be noted that more than 40% of Senegalese still give birth at home and are exposed to health risks.
What are the Challenges Faced by Senegalese Women during Childbirth?
Respecting traditions that impact the health of the mother and child
In Senegal, childbirth is an integral part of the customs and traditions of different ethnic groups, as it is perceived as essential for survival and the continuity of the community.
Over the centuries, Senegalese societies have developed rituals and beliefs around pregnancy and childbirth, often derived from observations of nature and the creation of myths. These ancestral practices are based on protective rites, prohibitions, and symbols aimed at ensuring the safety of mothers and their children.
In the most remote regions of the country, traditional childbirth sometimes occurs under very rudimentary conditions.
Many women give birth in toilets located at the back of houses, often in full view, without any protection or cover. This mode of childbirth fits into a tradition of closeness and support but remains, in some respects, a challenge in terms of sanitary conditions.
In the context of childbirth in Senegal, although giving birth in a hospital offers a sense of security due to medical supervision and equipment, it can also be seen as uprooting for some women.
Indeed, for those accustomed to the rites and traditions of home childbirth, the hospital represents an environment that does not always allow for the respect of deeply rooted cultural practices in Senegalese society.
The problem is that in some cases of home childbirth, the risk of hemorrhage is more than certain.
A distance too great for pregnant Senegalese women…
While many women choose to give birth at home in Senegal, others have no choice and cannot afford to adopt more modern methods of hospital childbirth.
Today, hospitals and health organizations remain very far from rural areas where, each year, millions of Senegalese women must give birth. But this is not the only problem that arises.
The tragic story of Madeleine Ngom in 2020 poignantly illustrates the challenges related to access to healthcare in rural areas of Senegal.
Less than three days after the introduction of a circular by the Minister of Health and Social Action, aimed at improving emergency care, Madeleine, a woman from the village of Baback, lost her life after giving birth to twins in Sanghé.
Madeleine gave birth in her village, assisted by local midwives. Her childbirth initially proceeded without complications, but she soon began showing signs of complications, with heavy bleeding. Despite the emergency situation, access to the regional hospital in Thiès, which could have saved her life, proved to be a real ordeal.
Lacking the means to pay for an ambulance, her relatives had to improvise, borrowing a private vehicle to evacuate her. However, the first vehicle broke down along the way, and the second soon met the same fate.
Stuck in traffic at the entrance to Thiès, they could not obtain priority passage despite their desperate calls. In the absence of a medical ambulance, Madeleine’s arrival at the hospital was fatal.
A study calculated the minimum transport time from each primary care facility to the nearest facility performing cesareans: “Some rural facilities are located more than 47 minutes by car from the nearest cesarean facility, and 37% are more than an hour’s drive away.”
It’s an indecent transport time that can endanger the lives of women and their babies.
…and a financial cost that few Senegalese can afford for childbirth
The story of Madeleine, which millions of Senegalese women experience each year, illustrates a second overwhelming reality: the cost of an ambulance.
For example, in Sanghé, to benefit from the services of an ambulance from the health post, villagers must pay 10,000 Fcfa (about 15 dollars), a sum that many cannot afford.
Faced with this economic reality, some residents are forced to resort to less appropriate means of transport, such as taxis, to move the sick or women in labor…
…While others must resign themselves to the sometimes fatal consequences of home childbirth.
What Measures Can Improve Maternity Care in Senegal?
Today, it is evident that many Senegalese women struggle to experience pregnancy as they should. Childbirth can become terrifying, yet solutions are possible.
In Senegal, maternal health has undergone significant reforms aimed at improving childbirth conditions and reducing maternal and infant mortality.
The National Integrated Strategic Plan for Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Infant, and Adolescent/Youth Health (PSN SRMNIA 2016-2020) was developed to strengthen maternal and neonatal health services.
This plan emphasizes improving the quality of care, universal access to health services, and reducing disparities between urban and rural areas. It is based on guiding principles such as national commitment, integrated approach, and respect for human rights.
Among the key measures, free childbirth and cesarean sections in public health facilities have been introduced. This policy aims to eliminate financial barriers to accessing obstetric care, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Hospitals, health centers, and other medical facilities with surgical units now offer these services at no cost, contributing to an increase in the use of health facilities for childbirth.
Despite notable improvements in maternal and infant health indicators in Senegal in recent years, the country still falls short of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In some regions of the country, particularly Louga, Kolda, and Sédhiou, the situation remains particularly concerning. The management of high-risk pregnancies and complicated childbirths is severely inadequate due to the lack of proper health infrastructure and the shortage of qualified medical personnel.
How to Send Care to Loved Ones in Senegal?
While many facilities need improvement, certain actions can still be taken despite the distance between countries.
Today, many families who have moved abroad struggle to help their loved ones back home. Yet, access to prenatal care, pregnancy monitoring analyses, and even financial resources for women to access an ambulance in emergencies are possible.
Now, innovative solutions like KimboCare offer a practical and secure way to support your loved ones and send or receive money in Senegal.
Thanks to this platform, it is now possible to ensure that your loved ones have access to quality health care without worrying about the uncertainties associated with traditional money transfers.
With KimboCare, you can purchase prepaid health credits for specific medical services for your loved ones in Senegal.
In just a few clicks, you designate your loved ones as beneficiaries, guaranteeing immediate access to necessary care such as antibiotic treatment, hospital stays, support from a midwife at childbirth, or even pregnancy monitoring by professionals.
Each credit you send is directly used for health services, thus providing a guarantee regarding the allocation of funds.
We collaborate with rigorously selected medical partners across the country, ensuring that your loved ones receive the best possible care, with no hidden fees or waiting times.
Once the transfer is made, your loved ones receive a notification indicating which healthcare providers to contact, thus facilitating smooth and rapid access to the medical services they need.
FAQ
1. What are the main causes of maternal and infant mortality in Senegal?
In Senegal, maternal and infant mortality rates are high, although progress has been made. The main causes include complications related to high-risk pregnancies, neonatal infections, and difficulty accessing healthcare, particularly in rural areas. Neonatal mortality, often due to complications during the first 24 hours or the first month of life, remains a significant concern and accounts for a large portion of infant deaths.
2. Why do many women give birth at home in Senegal?
Many Senegalese women, especially in rural areas, choose to give birth at home due to the lack of access to nearby health facilities, the costs of medical care, and sometimes out of respect for cultural traditions. Although progress has been made in improving access to hospitals and health centers, the lack of adequate infrastructure and the remoteness of hospitals remain major obstacles to managing childbirth in health facilities.
3. How does the Universal Health Coverage (CMU) improve maternity care in Senegal?
The CMU allows pregnant women to access quality care at no cost, including for childbirth and cesareans, which are now free in public health facilities. This policy aims to reduce health inequalities and ensure that all Senegalese women, even in remote areas, have equitable access to obstetric and neonatal care.
4. What measures has the Senegalese government taken to reduce maternal mortality?
The Senegalese government has implemented the National Integrated Strategic Plan for Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Infant, and Adolescent/Youth Health (PSN SRMNIA), which aims to improve the quality of care, enhance access to health services, and reduce inequalities between urban and rural areas. Measures such as free childbirth, training of medical personnel, and improvement of health infrastructure have contributed to reducing maternal and infant mortality rates.
5. How can I send medical care to my loved ones in Senegal?
Today, it is possible to help your loved ones access quality healthcare in Senegal, even if you live abroad. Thanks to innovative solutions like KimboCare, you can send money for specific medical care, such as consultations, antibiotic treatments, or pregnancy monitoring. KimboCare ensures that the funds sent are used directly for health services, offering a practical and secure alternative to support your loved ones in accessing care.
