Preliminary report of an identification mission for safe motherhood, Senegal: putting the M back in M.C.H.

The Government of Senegal, in keeping with the priority given to women and children in its health programs, requested the assistance of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in identifying and executing a program to diminish maternal mortality in that country. A UNDP "Mission of Identification" was carried out in response to this initiative. The preliminary results of this mission confirm that the issue of maternal safety is of primary concern not only to the government but also to women in the Republic of Senegal. The methodology employed during this mission allowed the team of national and international experts to confirm the level of this concern and to identify four major potential areas of intervention. Quantitative goals for the program have been set and estimates for the efficacy of each of the intervention areas indicate that intervention through the timely provision of access to emergency surgical services and appropriate prenatal care will yield the largest reduction. The feasibility of providing interventions in each of the four areas was also addressed during the mission. This methodology will be applicable to other settings as Third World countries begin to address the problem of excessive maternal mortality.