Stop Mothers Dying! CALMED Rotary

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Monday, October 1, 2018

Walter B. Gyger

About 300,000 women and 3 million babies worldwide die each year in pregnancy and childbirth – 90% in the deprived developing world, especially SE Asia and Africa. Most of these deaths  are due to delays in provision and access of quality emergency care and  could be prevented through fast track training of professionals, raising awareness in the communities and behavioural changes in support of faster provision and access to medical help.

Empowerment through structured training is a low cost, high impact strategic solution.

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Under the leadership of Walter B. Gyger, Representative of Rotary
international to UN and other international Organizations in
Geneva and PDG Dr. Himansu Basu, Technical Coordinator in Maternal and Child Health (2013-19), Medical Director, Rotarian Action Group on Population Development (2011-), Founder/Chairman, Rotarian Doctors Fellowship (2002- 2010).

Rotarians and Rotaractors from the Geneva Lake Region decided to establish a Rotary Geneva Health Group. Secretary of the group is Dr. Paola Alejandra Castillo Rojas, Rotaract Genève international.

Goal

Our Mission: Universal Health coverage (UHC)

  • Increase in the number of trained health care workers (doctors, nurses, midwives);
  • Mobilise the community to raise awareness of maternal health issues including family spacing;
  • Improved analysis of all maternal and baby deaths to identify avoidable factors;
  • Quality improvement in training methods and fast track access to maternal care;
  • Introduce Structured Training and Digital Technology for empowerment.

General

The CALMED programme training components are evidence-based, aimed at a sustainable increase in the number of skilled professionals and community empowerment. Subsequent Pilot evaluation (in Sikkim and Gujarat, India) validated the CALMED structured training programme, as a low-cost high impact, modular programme. The modules can be adjusted to the local needs and priorities in maternal and new-born mortality reduction, following the core principles of CALMED programme. Learn more on the CALMED Rotary website.

Reports

As of August 2021 :

  • 705 lives saved (estimated)
  • 123 professionals trained
  • 39 master trainers
  • 240 community health workers
  • +800 community groups empowered
  • 3.200.000 population served

Access the latest reports here.

Partner Clubs

Maternal & Child Health Discussion Group
The Rotary Foundation Cadre: Maternal & Child Health
Rotarian Action Group for Population and Development
Rotary Service Through Vocational Training Teams
International Fellowship of Rotarian Doctors