No Baby Left Out

For the past 3 months I have been completing an internship for school, working in a rural area of southern Tanzania called Lindi. While Lindi has made a great deal of progress in reducing child mortality and increasing primary school enrollment, newborn health remains a neglected area. In Lindi, the three main causes of newborn death are infections, prematurity, and birth asphyxia -- three conditions that can be easily and affordably managed with simple interventions and prompt skilled care. Unfortunately, medical staff in Lindi often lack these crucial skills and necessary equipment, meaning that thousands of newborns (or 31 per 1000 live births) die each year simply due to a lack of training.