bangladesh
Swiss Red Cross
The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) is the largest humanitarian organization in Switzerland. Since it was founded in 1866, it has been working for greater humanity, just as Henry Dunant intended. For more information on our members, please go to the member's website by clicking on the member's logo.
A Member Success Story:
Saving Lives and Restoring Hope: Transforming Maternal Health in Rohingya Camps
Since the arrival of several hundreds of thousands displaced people from Myanmar in 2017, the overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar in the South of Bangladesh have faced severe challenges in maternal and child healthcare. High maternal and neonatal mortality rates, driven by unsafe home deliveries, malnutrition, postpartum complications, and limited access to medical facilities were observed in the first months of the crisis. Cultural barriers in utilizing health care further exacerbated the situation.
In response, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and other stakeholders, established Primary Health Care Centers to provide essential health care services including antenatal, postnatal, and safe delivery services by skilled birth attendants (SBAs). However, despite health education outreach of the Red Crescent volunteers with relevant print materials, the institutional delivery rate stagnated.
Volunteers of the Red Cross explain the importance of obstetric care to expecting mothers. Photo Credits: Faisal Twaha, SRK
In April 2024, the BDRCS decided to explore the causes of the low institutional delivery through a root cause analyses. Evidence from interviewed men and women suggested that absence of male household heads during time of delivery, their lack of consent, lack of transport at night as well as lack of trust in the delivery procedures, were major barriers that hindered pregnant woman to come for institutional delivery. Together with the local community, the BDRCS designed and implemented tailored actions to address these barriers, with gender-specific initiatives promoting accessibility and engagement among women and men, further improving maternal health outcomes
Institutional delivery rates in the camps increased from 40% in 2018 to 87% by the end of 2024, reflecting the success of integrated care and behavior change efforts. 1,544 normal vaginal deliveries were conducted in the BDRCS health centers, and 229 pregnant women with complications were referred to higher-level facilities with no maternal deaths in the BDRCS catchment area in 2024.
During the pregnancy, the blood pressure is measured regularly. Photo Credits: Faisal Twaha, SRK
Despite many challenges, BDRCS’s sustained efforts have transformed maternal healthcare in the camps, empowering communities and restoring hope amid adversity. While this success story is not specific to malaria, increasing access to and confidence in primary health care centers for pregnant women and mothers of young children is critical, since pregnant women and children under five are most affected by malaria. Investment in primary health care and strengthening health care systems is an important tool in the toolbox for the reduction of malaria morbidity and mortality.
Images by Faisal Twaha, SRK.
Swiss Red Cross
The Swiss Red Cross (SRC) is the largest humanitarian
organization in Switzerland. Since it was founded in 1866, it has been
working for greater humanity, just as Henry Dunant intended.
The SRC helps the most vulnerable people in about 30 countries. Read more about the Swiss Red Cross' projects in Bangladesh: https://www.redcross.ch/en/our-commitment/where-we...
SMG Member Success Stories
The Member Success Stories aim to illustrate key advancements in research, prevention, and treatment by members of the Swiss Malaria Group. Each story showcases how our member’s involvement advanced the fight against malaria.