MaterCare International

Mothers in the developing world are experiencing a sort of ‘silent tsunami’. Nearly 600,000 mothers are dying every year, that's about the equivalent of twice the number who lost their lives in the Southeast Asian tragedy. These deaths of mothers do not occur in the glare of the international media spotlight. These mothers die alone, in terror from haemorrhaging, or agony from unrelieved obstructed labour. It's an international disgrace.
Dr. Robert Walley, executive director of MaterCare International, stated recently: “the fifth Millennium Development Goal [MDG], which is concerned with ‘improving maternal health’, is being ignored. This was particularly evident at the 58th annual meeting of Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations September 2006. The gathering discussed the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals regarding only peace, security and human rights and strengthening the U.N.
The tragedy of maternal deaths and birth injury was not mentioned in any of the plenary sessions, not even by the campaign director for the implementation of the MDG's. This is the second year that this has happened at this conference.

MATERCARE INTERNATIONAL is an organization of Catholic Health Professionals (obstetricians, neonatologists, general practitioners, midwives and others) from every part of the world which, inspired by the message of the Encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, encourages and provides opportunities for integrating professional knowledge, skills and experience with the Catholic faith, in a new and authentic way.

Through the quality of its work, MaterCare will show that the Church can still provide relevant health care for mothers. It will provide a professional mechanism for dialogue and collaboration, with other maternal health care agencies, academic and professional organizations. For mothers and their unborn children it will offer new initiatives based on life and hope, rather than death and despair.

They have a concern for the poor state of maternal health throughout the world as indicated by the unacceptably high maternal mortality, morbidity and abortion rates and the unacceptable solutions being offered to improve the situation. They have been inspired by the message of the Encyclical, Evangelium Vitae and the challenge of the forthcoming millennium.

They are conscious of the fact that the Catholic Church must maintain its faith centred mission of serving those most in need, i.e., mothers and children, through its health care ministry.

Prime Objectives

To promote the fullness of all human life especially unborn life through Christian principles of respect for all human life, with the focus on the family as the chief guardian of life and health.

To act as a prophetic witness by reflecting on the teaching and practice of contemporary maternal health care in the light of the gospel and its values and most recently presented in the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae.

To provide all mothers with care based on the highest medical and ethical standards.

Structure

To achieve its ends MaterCare will have a 21st century structure with a small central co-ordinating agency linked to flexible reference centres, distributed throughout the world, connected through modern communication technology and will use modern concepts of distance learning. An International Co-ordinating Centre. The centre will not be large. It will reflect the unique, international, interdisciplinary, diverse vocational character and experience of our Church, and will include an administrator, medical and nursing directors, a theologian/ethicist, a spiritual director, a health educator, a communications expert, and support staff. The Centre will provide co-ordination and support for the reference centres which will implement particular programmes and services. An international group of consultants will be formed, who will undertake activities at the reference centres, through long or short contracts. It will have access to data bases, libraries, and appropriate university research centres etc. It will be located in a city which is an academic centre with good research facilities, communications and travel facilities.The Reference Centres These reference centres will be established, where necessary and according to local needs, and where there is interest but not only in developing countries. With the assistance of the co-ordinating centre these reference centres will initiate local activities, will gather information, implement services and educational programmes, conduct research and provide consultants for the international group.