A BETTER FUTURE FOR MOTHERS AND BABIES

The Emergency Health Unit – the right people, in the right place, ready to save lives.

DURING CRISES, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS THE MOST VULNERABLE.

That's why our Emergency Health Unit provides children and their families with lifesaving, quality healthcare in some of the toughest and hardest-to-reach places in the world.

While we provide care to anyone in need, the Emergency Health Unit has a special focus on women and babies, because a healthy mom is essential for a healthy baby.

During conflicts or disasters, the health needs of women, babies and children grow greater and more urgent as trained health workers become scarce, and health facilities are damaged or destroyed.

60% of preventable maternal deaths take place in settings of conflict, displacement and disasters.

To protect the health of mothers and babies in the most dire circumstances, the Emergency Health Unit provides maternal and newborn services, such as scaling up treatment for acute malnutrition, promoting infant and young child feeding, providing ante-natal and post-natal care and so much more.

HOW THE EMERGENCY HEALTH UNIT RESPONDS

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES, HERE’S A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW WE RESPOND:

MATERNAL AND CHILD CARE

We deploy our team of medical experts that provide newborns, children, mothers and pregnant women
with life-saving care.

MALNUTRITION TREATMENT

We set up stabilization centers to treat children with severe acute malnutrition while also training local healthcare workers.

DISEASE OUTBREAKS

We manage epidemics by treating families and implementing prevention
measures to stop the spread of diseases.

VACCINATION CAMPAIGNS

We support routine immunization
programs to protect children against common life-threatening diseases.

Here are just a few examples of where we've helped moms and babies access the care they deserve.

Keep scrolling to hear from mothers on how we've helped them and their children.

NEWBORN CARE IN GAZA

HUNGER IN SUDAN

MALNUTRITION IN AFGHANISTAN

NEWBORN CARE IN GAZA

BABY LANA'S JOURNEY

In Gaza, attacks on hospitals, shrinking humanitarian access and restrictions on medical supplies have crippled hospitals’ ability to provide essential treatment.

Since our Emergency Health Unit began providing maternal health services in Gaza, we've provided more than 3,000 consultations, including supporting the delivery of babies like Lana* who was the first baby to be born at our maternity unit.

Lana’s mother Tima*, 26, found out she was pregnant in July 2023. She shared with our team that it was hard being pregnant during the war, and she was increasingly worried about where she would give birth safely, given the continuous attacks on healthcare facilities.

I felt happy when I had the baby. I was happy and grateful to find a place here [at the maternity ward] to give birth.”
Tima, 26

Thanks to our Emergency Health Unit, Tima was able to receive ante-natal care and safely deliver her baby in our maternity ward.

Baby Lana* was the first baby to be born at Save the Children’s new maternity unit in Gaza.

Save the Children midwife Deda*, 24, with new mother Tima and baby Lana.

HUNGER IN SUDAN

Nafeesa*, 24, gave birth to her son, Yaqub*, at one of our mobile clinics in Sudan.

A Save the Children midwife examines Nafeesa's baby at our mobile clinic.

NAFEESA AND BABY YAQUB

Following more than a year of violent conflict in Sudan, the country's crippled healthcare system is not only depriving mothers and babies of emergency medical care but also disrupting their access to essential routine services, including lifesaving vaccinations and maternity care.

In Sudan, our Emergency Health Unit set up mobile clinics that provided mothers and babies with treatment for diseases, vaccinations and management of malnutrition cases.

We've been able to help mothers like Nafeesa*, 24, who gave birth to her son, Yaqub*, at one of our mobile clinics.

When I was pregnant with my second child, I came to [the Save the Children clinic] to get examined. Thanks to the staff here who helped me deliver my child safely.
Nafeesa, 24

Thanks to our clinic staff, Nafeesa received pre-natal and post-natal care as well as support when delivering her baby.

MALNUTRITION IN AFGHANISTAN

TREATING CHILDREN LIKE HAKEM

In Afghanistan, more than 17.9 million people, particularly those in hard-to-reach and rural areas, have limited access to healthcare. Many families in Afghanistan face extreme hunger, and babies, children and their mothers often become malnourished as a result.

Mother Hasina* and her baby Hakem* were referred to Save the Children’s Therapeutic Feeding Unit, which our Emergency Health Unit set up in late 2023.

After Hakem was diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition, our doctors and nurses began providing treatment and closely monitored his condition, helping him on the road to recovery.

Fortunately, [Hakem] is very good and they’re giving him food and milk. And [Save the Children] is looking after him.
Hasina, 44

Thanks to our team, our Therapeutic Feeding Unit can provide lifesaving healthcare to children in some of the hardest-to-reach areas in Afghanistan.

Hakem* (5 months) being given milk at Save the Children's therapeutic feeding unit in Afghanistan.

Our health workers are trained to recognize severe acute malnutrition before it becomes life-threatening.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

When we help women, we help babies grow healthy and strong. But we can only do so with your help.

Your contribution to our Emergency Health Unit can help us mobilize quickly to provide lifesaving medical care to support mothers and babies in crisis. The Emergency Health Unit is needed more than ever – and we can be ready for the challenge with partners like you.

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