Ethiopia: Lifesaving mother and child care in the Sidama mountains
Aroressa is a beautiful, green mountainous area, with small coffee plantations irrigated by natural waterfalls and streams that meander down the steep slopes of the valleys, with cliffs falling 300 metres and more. At the bottom, cattle graze alongside the streams and children play outside onion shaped huts, typical of the Sidama zone, south of Ethiopia. Two Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) programmes are located in these highlands, separated by dusty mountain roads of more than 80 kilometres. The beauty of the area can deceive the visitor regarding the very serious health problems faced by the population. Health centres are scarce; as are qualified medical personnel, and maternal and child mortality rates are high. The mountainous terrain makes it difficult for pregnant women to trek to their nearest health centre, which could be 20 or more kilometres away. MSF teams have met many stranded people ferrying sick people or pregnant women to a nearby health centre while driving or