Many of us are well aware of Mother’s Day, but are you aware of National Safe Motherhood Day? Before going further into the topic, let us have a glance at a few significant facts. India has reduced maternal mortality rate remarkably which is 212 deaths among 100,000 childbirths in 2007 to approximately 178 deaths in 2012! The darker side of the fact is that 55,000 women still die in India due to pregnancy-related causes. To diminish pregnancy and postnatal care related issues, the Indian government introduced National Safe Motherhood Day to focus upon this issue with revised solutions along with constantly improvising in health and care for expecting mothers.
When is National Safe Motherhood day celebrated?
National Safe Motherhood day is celebrated on April 11th each year. This day is marked significant in the Indian calendar as this day creates awareness among people regarding maternity and conventional healthcare facilities necessary for lactating and pregnant women.
When was National Safe Motherhood day started?
Well, National Safe Motherhood day is not very ancient in Indian history. In 2003, due to the request made by White Ribbon Alliance India (WRAI), National Safe Motherhood day was declared by the Indian government. On this very day, the birth anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi is celebrated throughout the country.
How is National Safe Motherhood day celebrated in India?
India has been showing great sensitivity towards womanhood and announcing an official day to celebrate motherhood has mesmerised Indian women completely. To make this day full of enthusiasm, WRAI members arrange a nationwide advocacy theme. The members select and carry special activities along with other full-scale campaigns all over India. The chief goal behind performing these campaigns is to increase awareness about women safety and that every woman has the right to live her life under her conditions including safe childbirth and pregnancy. To share technical expertise and other significant resources, many NGO’s and state’s subdivisions join hands with WRAI to make their campaigns successful.
In the past few decades, many significant strides have been adopted by India to reduce maternal mortality rates. National Health Mission introduced both service and financial commitments that ensure safe childbirth along with enhanced neonatal healthcare service. If you go through previous records, you can find that the Maternal mortality rate (MMR) in India has shown an overall 70% reduction from the period between 1990 to 2012 in comparison to the global reduction of 45%. Other than MMR, institutional delivery has also increased sharply from 47% in 2007-2008 to 75% in 2013!
What can we do to celebrate National Safe Motherhood day?
Concern seen towards sustainable development goals agenda has given various opportunities to establish official frameworks that can accelerate improvised actions on new-born, postnatal and maternity health. The frameworks have established national as well as global accountability systems through which delivery and monitoring of promises made to women and children health can be put in place to fulfil the targeted goal. Thereby supporting mechanisms that engage citizens to safeguard motherhood.
National Safe Motherhood day also promotes the elimination of child marriages as child marriage is considered an ancillary cause for maternal bereavements. Other significant milestones received includes response given by not less than 150,000 women across the nation who were present in front of the National Health Minister during Motherhood day celebration in 2017. This programme strengthened the feedback procedure for women who are now able to submit their concerns and queries that can be addressed individually.
Role of WRAI in highlighting the root cause behind National Safe Motherhood day celebrations?
WRAI has created a platform by collaborating with the Indian government that has influenced many media members, political leaders, government officers and public personalities including Shabana Azmi, Shivani Wazir Pasrich, Pooja Bedi, Subha Mudgal and Raveena Tandon along with many others. They use their public persona to highlight the cause of Safe Motherhood day at an international level.