A plastic sheet, a bar of soap, gloves, scalpel, cord and gauze.
It might not seem like much, but these six items are making child birth that bit easier and safer for women in Third World countries with little or no access to medical help.
Year 11 Thomas Carr College students spent last Wednesday making 200 of these birthing kits, sponsored by the Zonta Club of Melton, for the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia.
The kits address all the items needed for a safe delivery, even down to the cord used to tie off the umbilical cord.
The kits will be distributed to women in Third World countries, including Papua New Guinea, Cameroon, Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya and India.
Melton Zonta club director and Thomas Carr finance manager Barbara Reithofer said an estimated 385,000 women died from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth each year, many from preventable infections acquired during childbirth.
“These women, for reasons of isolation, cultural choice or poor transport, have little or no assistance during childbirth,” Ms Reithofer said.
“By providing a clean birthing kit these mothers will have the resources to reduce infection.”
Ms Reithofer said the Zonta club of Melton had assembled about 5000 birthing kits in the past eight years.
Charlene Macaulay
