Reach Every Mother and Child Act
Every day, 16 000 children under age 5 die and close to 800 mothers die during pregnancy or childbirth. All of them from preventable diseases or complications. That means by the end of 2016, 5.8 million children will die before their 5th birthday—1 million of them on their first day of life—and almost 300 000 mothers from illnesses that can be fought with proper sanitation and nutrition, safe water, vitamin supplements and easy access to prenatal care and education.
Last summer a bipartisan team of senators and representatives introduced The Reach Every Mother and Child Act, to the US congress, with the goal of reducing such tragedies and ending preventable maternal and child deaths by 2035. We can make a difference and help end preventable child and maternal deaths by letting our representatives in Congress know you support the Reach Act.
Panna Aktar with her daughter, Sriti, in Bangladesh. Panna has given birth four times, but two of her children died shortly after their birth. Panna says: "Giving birth to Sriti was much better. I had complications but I could go to the local health center and get help. I hope that health services continue to improve because it is very good for poor people like us.”
Fatmara, 21, lost a baby a few years ago after giving birth in her home in Sierra Leone. She recently gave birth to a healthy baby with the help of a trained birth attendant at a clinic that opened in Susan’s Bay slum in April 2012 with U.S. government funding.
HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
You can show your support by emailing or calling your representative or senator: