Beneficiary Spotlight – mMitra Project!!

India accounts for the maximum number of maternal deaths in the world — 17 per cent or nearly 50,000 of the 2.89 Lakh women who died as a result of complications due to pregnancy or childbearing in 2013, stated the UN report on maternal deaths. Despite India progressing noticeably in curbing the maternal mortality rate (MMR) — 65 per cent drop reported since 1990 — the country is lagging behind the UN-mandated Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of bringing a 75 per cent decline in the MMR till 2015. Literacy and social issues are major factors that have led to high maternal deaths. Girls are married at a young age and they have little knowledge about early pregnancy.

mMitra Project is exclusively focuses on Maternal and Child Health with its unusual way of reaching out to women through mobile. A free Voice messaging service is on preventive care and simple interventions to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidly directly on pregnant women’s and mother’s mobile. This is an excerpt from what our beneficiary, Ms. Varsha Jalinder Tanpure has to say about our project –

mMitra form was filled in the seventh month of my pregnancy. I was informed that I will receive more information on pregnancy & baby’s health through voice calls. This is my second pregnancy and I was initially clueless of how messaging can help me. But today I know the importance of this service. I have been receiving these messages from past few months. It proved to be very beneficial in managing my and baby’s health with useful and relevant information coming to be on frequent intervals .

It covered the whole gamut of information required during pregnancy; about hygiene, eating patterns,looking after yourself while pregnant, importance of exclusive breast feeding, and caution for not  giving water to a baby before 6 months. There were reminders about vaccinations, polio doses etc. I got every small information which previously I was not aware of during my first pregnancy. I never knew that if a baby is passing urine frequently that means baby is getting enough milk.

I  followed all Do’s & Dont’s during pregnancy and post delivery. It hugely benefited me and my little one. mMitra is my real friend. This project is a real blessing to pregnant women like us who does not have such easy access to information about maternal and child health.