Two Romanian NGOs plan to launch a center for maternal healthcare under the name' The White Cross' in May this year, and expand the network of maternal health services to a national level during next year.

The Association for Natural Birth and Nursing and the Mothers for Mothers NGO have started this project with support from Queen Ana of Romania. A White Cross Center for Maternal Health and a center for parental counseling are planned for Bucharest, and expansion to Brasov, Targu Mures, Miercurea Ciuc and Cluj is scheduled for 2012-2013. The planned budget for 2012 and 2013 is of EUR 40,000, and the involved NGOs are currently awaiting donations.

The Maternal Health network, which aims to solve maternal health problems, found that only 12.6 percent of all babies born in Romania are exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and that 35 percent of all births in Romania happen through a C-section. The rate of C-sections is even higher in Bucharest – 60 percent.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Photoxpress.com)