A recent Atlantic article detailed the abuse of an Indian woman, by a health worker, as she undergoes a caesarean section. While strides have been made in providing access to maternal health care services – transportation, lower costs, education, etc. – there is evidence that quality of care, and perceptions of that quality, may be an equally important barrier

Maternal mortality causes 56,000 deaths every year in India, accounting for 20 percent of maternal deaths around the world, said John Townsend, vice president and director of the Population Council’s reproductive health program. It is a key battleground for maternal health advocates. But maternal health is sometimes eclipsed by other major health and development issues on the sub-continent. For example, nearly five times as many people suffer from HIV/AIDS and more than 400 million people live on less than $1.25 a day.

Obstetric fistula is “not just a medical issue, but a human issue,” said Dr. Luc de Bernis, senior maternal health advisor at UNFPA, during a September 27 panel discussion at the Wilson Center. Obstetric fistula, a hole in the birth canal that can develop between the vagina and the bladder and/or rectum during prolonged labor without proper medical intervention, is preventable and treatable but continues to affect more than two million women worldwide, mostly in developing countries where women lack access to cesarean services. Women stricken with it face severe pain and suffering, social stigmatization, and usually give birth to a stillborn child.

This event will be aimed at highlighting the progress in health for women and children in Haiti since the disaster occurred and communicate how Haitian and U.S. governments, multilateral organizations, and civil society are continuing to work together to build a healthier future for women and children.