Wow, I couldn't bring myself to read this weekend's New York Times article yet about the crazy-high mortality rate for mothers and babies alike in Tanzania. But I just scrolled through Beatrice de Gea's photo essay of the Tanzanian maternity ward, and it is incredible.
C-sections performed by non-doctors using ether--which anesthetizes both the baby and the mother; all-too-well-practiced family rituals for dealing with mothers and babies who die during childbirth; orphaned quadruplets [!]; and this kid dropped off outside the delivery room on a bench in the hall.
On the bright side, the Times' new Lens big-photo blog is pretty slick.
Childbirth in Tanzania - Slideshow [nytimes.com]
I read the article, but the pictures are heartbreaking. If I have to hear one more over-privileged westerner complain about her C-section, I am going to email them this link (and yes, I've had one). The cloths though, are gorgeous.
My first title for this post was, "On The Other Hand, Tanzanian Hospitals Do Have Awesome Receiving Blankets," but then I read that people had to bring their own.
These photos are so beautiful, and yes, sad too.
We see these photos and treasure the articles, but we believe that these images should be collected and curated in a single place as well. As a start we are beginning with a photography contest in conjunction with the 24 hour virtual day of the midwife begun in Australia.
Maternova is a global marketplace for ideas and simple tools that save mothers. We believe that powerful photographs are one just tool.
http://maternova.images.net