Egypt's child healthcare lessons

A 68 percent improvement in child mortality rates places Egypt second only to the Czech Republic in making progress caring for mothers and infants, a UN study shows.

from the May 8, 2007 edition

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"In the past the women were not educated, so they didn't know about the hospital. They were treating themselves naturally, but now the young people are more educated so they know it's cleaner to give birth at the hospital," says Aziz, who uses her father's name, as her daughter wriggled in a stroller.

But in absolute terms Egypt still has a long way to go to improve the health of infants, children, and pregnant mothers. For example, its current 33 deaths per 1,000 children under age 5 compares with seven deaths per 1,000 children in the US, on par with Cuba, Estonia, and Poland, according to UNICEF.

Upper Egypt is dotted by small rural villages where there are long traditions of giving birth using midwives in the home. "I didn't go to the hospital [to deliver my children] but I heard about meetings at the hospital for mothers," says Merva, who only gave her first name, while holding her young daughter's hand. "I went to a small house. Most births are in the home. If [the birth] is normal why should I go to the hospital?"

Hossam Mamdon has one more year left in medical school in Minya and hopes to work in a hospital or clinic in the area. Education of mothers is key, he says. "Diarrhea is something the programs have helped very much.... In the past it was a killing disease but now it's considered mild," he says.

 

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