In the world’s most remote and rural communities, pregnant women struggle to get to their nearest hospital or health facility to deliver their baby once they go into labour – putting the lives of both the mother and the unborn child at risk.
These facilities are, on average, 4 miles away across arduous, challenging dirt roads, often in intense, energy-sapping heat. There are too few ambulances, taxis or other alternatives to get there, meaning women face a walk of over 90 minutes – often whilst struggling in labour.
In Malawi, 1 in 150 women die in pregnancy and childbirth. That’s a rate over 77 times higher than the UK. That’s unacceptable, when these deaths can be easily prevented.
Women and Children First sets up women’s health groups in the world’s most remote and rural areas, in order to bring communities together to solve their health problems. The groups in Malawi have come up with the idea of resourcing and making bicycle ambulances to help women be transported safely to a health facility.
These bicycles have a stretcher fitted to the back, enabling the cyclist to transport the woman to their nearest health facility or hospital swiftly and safely. It is a simple but life-saving solution.
You can see the bicycle ambulance in action in this clip below:
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