Reproductive and maternal health
Improving reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) directly benefits the mother and her (newborn) child, but it also strengthens families and communities. The focus of RMNCH is not only on providing quality healthcare and services, such as antenatal care, nutrition, and immunisation, but also on providing access to education and social protection.
As part of our commitment to improving maternal and child health, IDA is supplying products identified as having the potential to save women's and children’s lives. Many of these items have been in IDA’s range for years, and it is critical that these high-impact products continue to receive extra attention.
Familiy planning related products
Family planning allows women to space their pregnancies, and can delay pregnancy in younger women, who often face an increased risk of complications. Despite the increase in contraceptive use over the past thirty years, many women in all regions still do not have access to modern family planning related products such as hormonal contraceptives, intrauterine devices (IUDs), female and male condoms.
Maternal and child nutrition
Malnutrition in pregnant women is a major public health challenge in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs). Poor diets lacking in key nutrients (such as iodine, iron, folate, calcium, and zinc) can cause serious health issues, like anaemia, pre-eclampsia and even death in mothers, and stillbirth, low birthweight, and developmental delays in children. Therefore - before and during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding - nutritious diets are essential to ensure the health of both mother and child. Proper nutrition is essential for the physical and mental development of children. It is important women and children have access to nutritional products, such as micronutrient supplements and energy-protein supplements during different stages of their lives.
Multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS)
MMS (supplied by Kirk Humanitarian) are the current standard for pregnant women in high-income countries, and contain fifteen vitamins and minerals, including iron-folic acid, that support good health for the mothers, improved birth outcomes and better cognitive development and physical growth of unborn children.
Heat-stable carbetocin (HSC)
HSC (supplied by Ferring Pharmaceuticals) can be used as an alternative for oxytocin after labour to help uterine contraction and thereby preventing the occurrence of post-partum hemorrhage (PPH). For more information about HSC please read this news item in our blog.
Female hygiene products
Access to menstrual products is key to improving menstrual health and hygiene, however millions of women and adolescent girls worldwide can’t afford these products. IDA offers the Anandi sanitary pad; developed in India, and the country's first and only Government of India lab certified (ISO 17088) sanitary pad that is almost ~100% compostable and biodegradable.
Other RMNCH commodities
Breastfeeding not only provides good nutrition, but it also plays an important role in food security and reducing inequalities by improving child development. IDA has added two breastfeeding related products to its portfolio; a feeding cup - supporting newborns with breastfeeding difficulties, and a manual breast pump - allowing mothers more options in their breastfeeding routines.
In addition to the above-mentioned products and commodities, IDA also offers iron-folic acid, Clean Delivery Kits and Diarrhoea Kits.