Losing hundreds of moms during childbirth is just a normal statistic in one troubled country. The Central African Republic faces a brutal maternal death rate, with 829 fatalities for every 100,000 live births. Fewer than half of pregnant women get proper prenatal checkups, and about a third deliver at home without skilled help. To fight this, the government is pushing universal health coverage, trying to remove poverty as a barrier to essential care. A key tactic is deploying over 1,200 community midwives, like Erguine Souhat in Bria, who guide women from pregnancy through postpartum. These midwives, chosen locally, operate in 32 health districts and have helped cut home deliveries by roughly 30 percent in their areas.
The World Health Organization backs the effort, training hundreds of these midwives and equipping dozens of maternity wards with supplies. Dr. Romaric Ghislain Zarambaud Bohy-Ngombet, the Director of Family Health, calls maternal mortality a national emergency, focusing on skills, facilities, and community outreach. For mothers like Albertine Shoura, who nearly died in a home birth, a midwife's support meant a safe hospital delivery. The program aims to transform childbirth from a moment of danger into one of safety, building trust so every woman can access care no matter where she lives.
The World Health Organization backs the effort, training hundreds of these midwives and equipping dozens of maternity wards with supplies. Dr. Romaric Ghislain Zarambaud Bohy-Ngombet, the Director of Family Health, calls maternal mortality a national emergency, focusing on skills, facilities, and community outreach. For mothers like Albertine Shoura, who nearly died in a home birth, a midwife's support meant a safe hospital delivery. The program aims to transform childbirth from a moment of danger into one of safety, building trust so every woman can access care no matter where she lives.
