Guatemala City, Guatemala
SCF funded a multi-year maternal health program of vulnerable and indigent pregnant mothers in Guatemala City.
In 2000, PCI established the Casa Maternal (Mother’s House), an integrated reproductive and maternal and child health program that provides outreach, and education services, out-patient clinical services, a pediatric clinic and an inpatient facility for women with high-risk pregnancies. Women and their families can access family planning services, child nutrition classes, and trainings on proper hygiene and sanitation practices. Each year, PCI trains hundreds of community health workers, including traditional birth attendants, to identify women with high-risk pregnancies and refer them to the Casa Materna for care, monitoring and safe delivery.
In fiscal year 2010, 78 low birth weight babies transitioned to the Casa Materna with their mothers until they gained weight, and their parents received training on special care for the babies. 1,680 pediatric consultations were also completed during community-based health fairs.-PCI