“We treat many pregnant women between 12 and 18 years, who come to our hospital to deliver their premature babies”. This was one of the statements of the medical staff in one of the three public hospitals I visited in Chiapas this month. Located in the south of the country bordering Guatemala, Chiapas is one of the poorest states in Mexico. Through its foundation, Fundación AXA México, AXA Mexico supports three public hospitals with medical equipment and training: Ocosingo, San Felipe Ecatepec and Bochil, have received donations of incubators, vital signs monitors, respirators, and more to help reduce the mortality of newborns. Also, doctors and nurses are being trained in the use of the new equipment as well as in neonatal reanimation and obstetric emergency. Later this year, a fourth hospital in Motozintla will receive similar donations and training.

 

 

According to their medical staff, the four hospitals and locations share similar challenges linked to their remote rural setting and poverty. Contributing factors to the disproportionately high number of premature births and complications are:

 

• -Lack of specialized medical equipment and trained intensive care staff
• -Poverty-related malnutrition in pregnant women
• -Communities ruled by customs and conventions, permitting polygamy and marrying minors
• -Contraception requiring consent from the male head of the family
• -Consanguinity causing congenital anomalies
• -Indigenous women are often in need of translation to understand the medical staff, as they speak local languages and little or no Spanish
• -Community midwives sending patients to hospital late with severe complications

 

 

“We are so grateful to Fundación AXA, we were able to save several lives thanks to your support. For instance, a baby born weighing 750 grams survived, something unthinkable before we received the new equipment”, a nurse told me. This is in complete harmony with AXA´s and AXA Mexico´s Foundation objective: which is facilitate access to quality health services.

 

 

It is uplifting to see the difference we have already made to many women and their newborns. There is more to be done –  I warmly invite you to contribute so that we can continue to help the most vulnerable in these remote communities. The link to make a donation is: axa.mx/fundacion-axa/english/sumate

 

 

You have my personal commitment that each and every peso donated will be used to help, all administrative costs are covered by AXA Mexico. Apart from donations, Fundación AXA Mexico is funded by AXA’s legal entities in Mexico: our commitment is to give 1% of annual profits to the Foundation.