The Tambacounda region in eastern Senegal experiences some of the highest
recorded maternal and infant death rates in the country, at 650 maternal deaths
per 100 000 live births (Ministry of Health, personal communication, 2014) and
49 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 2010–2011 (1). Only 4% of the population
use modern contraceptives, and attendance at the four recommended antenatal
care (ANC) visits is very low (1). Furthermore, only 32.4% of births are attended
by a health professional (1), and on average there is only one health worker per
3000 inhabitants in the region (2). Frontline health-care providers in these rural
communities are often the sole link between mothers and health-care facilities.
Gravely overextended, with basic training and limited access to specialized medical
advice, these rural workers need professional support and capacity-building.