Maternal and Child Health

Haiti has the highest maternal mortality rate in the Western Hemisphere, with approximately 529 deaths per 100,000 births. It is estimated that only 36% of women give birth in health facilities, which makes their risk of dying during or after childbirth very high. Recognizing this injustice, ZL has made it a priority since its inception to provide quality maternal health care to pregnant women arriving in its institutions. In 1998, ZL launched the first women's health care program, “Sante Fanm”, targeting women's health in the Central Plateau of Haiti.

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ZL strives to achieve zero maternal deaths during childbirth and zero mother-to-child transmission of HIV by focusing on the following goals:

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• Ensure that trained health care providers are present during childbirth; births requiring emergency obstetric care are transferred to a referral center

• Provide access to family planning services to men and women of childbearing age;

• Prevent transmission of HIV or other sexually transmitted infections from mother to child.