Ashima mol’s first birthday

Ashima turns one today!!!

Its an year full of fond memories, some frights and lots of learning – both for her and for those around her. As we celebrate her first birthday, I think what a lucky guy I am. In our neighbourhood, the probability of children dying before one year of age is as high as 83 per 1,000 live births in some regions and communities of India. So, for Ashima to have seen her first birthday is a real achievement.

That’s not my only stroke of luck. I am twice lucky because it is a real achievement that Santhy is around today. In some regions of India, the annual number of deaths of women from pregnancy-related causes is as high as 517 per 100,000 live births.

Another achievement is the fact that Ashima could get all the care while being born and that she could be born in a hospital. In some regions of India institutional deliveries have been as little as 16%. We may think that its a good thing that the remaining 84% are born at home. But, unfortunately, the 84% only reflects the lack of care and facilities, and not the exercising of an option to have a home delivery.

As we celebrate her first birthday, we can only thank God that we live to see this day. Each day was a blessing, and we pray that each future day will also continue to be the same, not only for us, but for everybody. That is why we call this space “health for all”.

For more information on infant mortality and maternal mortality in India, click here.