Accenture's Commitment to Healthy Communities

I'm proud to be part of an organization that stands behind social responsibility and encourages it's people to contribute towards building healthy communities. Each person can make a difference and collectively we can make a big impact!

this is great...what was the final tally?

That's awesome Anastasia! Have a fantastic time!

I'm glad maternal mortality is getting more attention -- it is a huge problem. One woman dies per minute during pregnancy or childbirth. In sub-Saharan Africa the lifetime risk of maternal death is 1 in 16, compared to developed nations of only 1 in 7,300. For every woman who dies, approximately 30 more endure injuries, infection and disabilities ... See Morein pregnancy or childbirth. This means that at least 15 million women a year suffer this type of damage.

However, in my view, the issue of upgrading medical services in less developed countries is very complex. Medical aid organizations need to understand the cultural and environmental constraints of the areas in which they operate and look for low-cost, simple solutions that can be broadly applied to incrementally improve care -- as well as investing in advanced medical technologies and skills. Increasing hand-washing and using a sterile sheet to keep the birth area clean lowers risk of post-partum infection-- these simple improvements can help even if the mother doesn't have access to advanced medical care.

Global health organizations need to work to understand the underlying issues at play (in this instance, no ambulance, unwillingness to open hospital gates, lack of education) that prevents women from getting the care they need. In this case, proper medical care was in place, but this woman tragicaly couldn't access it in a timely manner for other reasons.

Thanks Anastasia for commenting. After having a baby myself just 5 months ago and watching this video it is so sad that even the most basic medical education is lacking and could save so many.

Hi Anastasia and Kathy, Thank you for taking the time to comment on the video we posted. You raise some really interesting and relevant points. For our Fans, we encourage you to continue the dialogue on our wall and/or discussion board.