We know that the health of pregnant mothers is still at risk globally. We know that — in rural, marginalized areas of the world — women and girls are still dying in childbirth and pregnancy at a rate of one every two minutes, more than 750 a day, 200 of these deaths are teenagers. We know that millions of children still die as infants and small children.

While these statistics are not widely known, they should be!

We — as nurses and midwives — know why and how these people die. Many of us are responsible for maternal and child health in our clinical practices. We all understand what it takes to achieve safe birth and early life. When we learn about these tragedies, we care and we are concerned.

But, the world needs to care too!
What can we do about this?

To address these issues, Mrs. Phalakshi Manjrekar and Dr. Deva-Marie Beck — two nursing leaders representing the Nightingale Initiative for Global Health — NIGH World — keynoted together on March 9, 2014 — to 200 nursing and midwifery leaders from 26 nations at the 2nd International Conference of the Commonwealth Nurses & Midwives Federation in London, UK. The featured Conference theme was ‘Nurses & Midwives: Agents of Change.’

Ms. Manjrekar — Director of Nurses of the P.D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre in Mumbai, India — and NIGH World Board Director & Executive Committee — keynoted on Maternal & Child Health in India. She shared details about the high rates of maternal and child mortality still found in India — what has been done in recent years — and needs to still be done — to achieve better outcomes there.

Download Mrs. Manjrekar’s Keynote Powerpoint here >>

Dr. Beck’s presentation recalled how Florence Nightingale herself achieved what she advised — that people working to achieve health care should also be raising public awareness about forgotten or neglected health care issues.

Dr. Beck asked the Conference delegates, “how can we follow in Nightingale’s footsteps — to get the world to care, today — about mothers and babies still dying at such alarming rates?”

Four suggestions were put forward during Dr. Beck’s Keynote:

• Share the idea that 'the empowerment of women and girls — including their health & education — is a MUST to achieve global sustainable development.’

• Consider and prepare to collaborate more closely with traditional mass-media professionals.

• Join NIGH’s planned ‘Circles’ of ‘field reporters’ to become ‘citizen journalists & broadcasters’ @ www.NIGHtingaleDeclaration.net.

• Bring input from the collective voices of nurses and midwives to the United Nations DPI-NGO Conference in New York City in August, 2014.

Please contact us to learn more about these options.

For further details, you can download Dr. Beck’s Keynote Powerpoint here >>