Global Initiative Calls for Clean Water in Health Centres to Save Mothers and Babies
A major new campaign has been launched to demand that world leaders commit to providing clean water, decent sanitation, and proper hygiene facilities in every health centre across the globe. The international charity WaterAid has initiated the "Time to Deliver" project, emphasising that every two seconds, a woman gives birth in a healthcare facility lacking these basic necessities, which can mean the difference between life and death.
Urgent Action Needed to Prevent Preventable Deaths
Without access to water for handwashing, cleaning instruments, or maintaining sanitary wards, mothers and newborns are exposed to infections that should be easily avoidable. Each year, over a million women and babies die from infections linked to childbirth, tragedies that health workers assert could often be prevented with fundamental infrastructure improvements.
The campaign is supported by public figures including singer Beverley Knight, presenter Myleene Klass, and journalist Yomi Adegoke. It urges governments to prioritise women's voices in maternal healthcare planning and fund the essential infrastructure that frontline workers desperately require.
Political Will and Funding Challenges
This initiative comes amid a backdrop of aid funding cuts from nations like the United States under Donald Trump, the United Kingdom, and various European countries. These reductions could leave millions vulnerable to the impacts of diminished health projects and the escalating climate crisis, exacerbating risks for expectant mothers in underserved regions.
In a launch video, one mother poignantly described the moment before giving birth as standing "between life and death," expressing fears about survival and the health of her baby due to water shortages. Another account from Zambia highlights the struggles faced by women, such as Elizabeth, 63, who supported her daughter-in-law during childbirth in a facility without clean water, pleading for immediate governmental action.
Solutions and Standards for Safe Care
Campaigners stress that the solutions are available but lack the necessary political will. They call for investments in clean water systems, construction of safe toilets and handwashing facilities, and training for healthcare workers to ensure hygienic care as a routine part of national health services. Setting clear standards is also crucial to guarantee safe and dignified care in every health facility.
For health workers on the front lines, the issue is straightforward: no woman should fear childbirth due to a lack of water. The "Time to Deliver" campaign aims to mobilise global support and push for commitments at the upcoming United Nations Water Conference in December, advocating for a world where every birth is safe and supported by basic amenities.
