For mothers and children - Doctors with Africa CUAMM

For mothers and children

Care and support, from pregnancy through the early years of life

In many countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, pregnancy and childbirth remain high-risk moments. Too many women still die from preventable causes, and too many children do not survive their first years of life. Behind every birth lie economic, geographical, and cultural barriers—but also the strength of those who choose, every day, to be there, bringing expertise, care, and hope.

ON THE FRONT LINE

For over fifteen years, through the “Mothers and Children First” programme, Doctors with Africa CUAMM has been working to make childbirth safer, ensure skilled care during emergencies, and support maternal and child health—from the village to the hospital.

WHAT WE DO

Our work brings together doctors, midwives, and communities to ensure continuity of care, accompanying women from pregnancy through the postnatal period, and supporting children in their first years of life. In particular, we:

Operate in multiple countries and contexts, adapting each intervention to the real needs of the population

Support local hospitals and health centres, working closely with authorities and healthcare staff

Invest in training local human resources

Rehabilitate health facilities to improve the quality and safety of services

Provide essential equipment and medicines when needed

Raise community awareness to reduce inequalities in access to care

Today, “Mothers and Children First” has become a flagship programme for the entire organisation—a model that combines field experience, research, training, and advocacy, not only for maternal and child health but for the universal right to health. Every assisted birth, every woman welcomed into a health facility, every child who grows up healthy represents a step forward toward a more just future for all.

In the field

We work in hospitals, within communities, through training programmes and in the response to major epidemics. Maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health remains an urgent healthcare priority in sub-Saharan African countries and is among the primary health goals identified in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In the field