Changing traditional practices to improve health in india
By World Renew India
August 12, 2024
CHANGING TRADITIONAL PRACTICES TO IMPROVE HEALTH IN INDIA
By World Renew India
August 12, 2024
In India, especially in rural areas, inadequate prenatal care and unclean birthing practices have resulted in high maternal and infant mortality rates. Anju is pregnant with her fifth child and wants this pregnancy to be different. She wants to access maternal health care. During previous pregnancies, Anju, who lives in a rural village in eastern India, had followed her community’s tradition regarding medical care during pregnancy. Her family believed that prenatal care was unnecessary—women in the community had birthed babies for centuries without assistance. Why should they change their traditional practices now?
Anju belongs to the Santal community, a minority group regarded as lower caste in India’s traditional caste system. Santals often have little or no access to health care. World Renew’s partner, EFICOR, works with local community health workers to connect marginalized, rural communities, like the Santal community, to the government health system. This model provides prenatal care to women at their doorsteps, many of whom have never received this type of care before.
As her pregnancy progressed, Anju continued to face opposition from her mother-in-law, regarding prenatal care. EFICOR staff visited Anju’s household and explained to the family the importance of prenatal check-ups and how they would help ensure that Anju and the baby were healthy. With such patient support from the team, Anju’s mother-in-law realized the value of maternal care to the long-term health of her family. Anju underwent her first antenatal check-up and made a commitment that she would deliver her baby at the government hospital.
Anju’s mother-in-law says, “I extend my heartfelt thanks to EFICOR for their dedicated efforts to help me realize the importance of maternal health care for my daughter-in-law. I will ensure the best care possible for both the mother and child.” Healthy and happy, Anju now awaits the birth of her baby.
In India, especially in rural areas, inadequate prenatal care and unclean birthing practices have resulted in high maternal and infant mortality rates. Anju is pregnant with her fifth child and wants this pregnancy to be different. She wants to access maternal health care. During previous pregnancies, Anju, who lives in a rural village in eastern India, had followed her community’s tradition regarding medical care during pregnancy. Her family believed that prenatal care was unnecessary—women in the community had birthed babies for centuries without assistance. Why should they change their traditional practices now?
Anju belongs to the Santal community, a minority group regarded as lower caste in India’s traditional caste system. Santals often have little or no access to health care. World Renew’s partner, EFICOR, works with local community health workers to connect marginalized, rural communities, like the Santal community, to the government health system. This model provides prenatal care to women at their doorsteps, many of whom have never received this type of care before.
As her pregnancy progressed, Anju continued to face opposition from her mother-in-law, regarding prenatal care. EFICOR staff visited Anju’s household and explained to the family the importance of prenatal check-ups and how they would help ensure that Anju and the baby were healthy. With such patient support from the team, Anju’s mother-in-law realized the value of maternal care to the long-term health of her family. Anju underwent her first antenatal check-up and made a commitment that she would deliver her baby at the government hospital.
Anju’s mother-in-law says, “I extend my heartfelt thanks to EFICOR for their dedicated efforts to help me realize the importance of maternal health care for my daughter-in-law. I will ensure the best care possible for both the mother and child.” Healthy and happy, Anju now awaits the birth of her baby.
Prayers for Asia
By Ruairidh Waddell
- Pray for God’s provision of essentials for the Rohingya as unrest drives more families out of Myanmar; pray too for those already living as refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh–the world’s largest refugee camp.
- Pray for God to open doors for World Renew Asia staff and partners so they can extend his love to more people struggling with hunger, poverty, and injustice.
- As the government of Laos rolls out a “Visit Laos” tourism campaign, pray that this will help rejuvenate the economy which has been struggling since the COVID-19 pandemic.
