A donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aims to decrease the number of birth asphyxia incidents in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Guerrero.
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Birth asphyxia occurs when a baby does not begin breathing after birth. According to the World Health Organization, this is one of the leading causes of death in newborns, accounting for about 900,000 deaths worldwide every year.
The donation included equipment and training for doctors and nurses on newborn resuscitation, as well as training related to caring for mothers after they give birth. It is estimated that in the first year, this training and donated equipment could potentially save 300 lives.
Leading pediatrician Dr. Frank Bentley and his wife, Jean, came from the United States to conduct the training. The Bentleys have traveled the globe for the past two decades, training physicians and midwives in newborn resuscitation and caring for new mothers.
Dr. José Manuel Cruz Castellanos, secretary of health and general director of the Chiapas State Health Institute, and Dr. Leticia Jarquin Estrada, director of public health for the State of Chiapas, both attended the official event to formalize the donation.
Dr. Jarquin acknowledged the presence of the doctors and nurses receiving the training and said, “We are grateful for this donation, which will save many lives.”
For his part, Dr. Bentley was grateful for “the support and help of all the participants and instructors with whom we have worked since March to get these courses ready.”
Dr. Cruz also expressed his appreciation for the donation. He noted that the training took place during Doctors’ Month and said he couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the month.
This article was originally published on Spanish Newsroom.