Blog Brief:
Maternal and child health (MCH) is about providing comprehensive healthcare for women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, infants and children up to the age of five. WHO states nearly 810 mortalities in women occur in a day during maternity and childbirth due to preventable causes. A favorable environment to nurture excellent health and well-being for women and children is essential to build healthy communities. Pursuing a three-month certificate in maternal child health online program with Texila CPD enables you to gain knowledge in enhancing the developmental, mental, behavioral and social health of women and children to strengthen communities and minimize unnecessary healthcare costs. The program enables you to understand the various elements affecting the welfare of women and children, assess and analyze their needs and formulate effective action plans to promote well-being and prevent diseases. It opens you to several public health opportunities in hospitals, public health clinics, community birthing centers, etc.
Maternal and child health (MCH) is about providing comprehensive healthcare for women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, infants and children up to the age of five with a focus on:
· Preventing maternal, prenatal and neonatal mortality and morbidity
· Regulate fertility to have children when desired and ensure their well-being
· Improve the accessibility to healthcare services for women and children to promote good health and prevent diseases
· Screening of new-born babies, child immunization and nutrition
· Nurturing children with special needs
· Promote and safeguard physical and psycho-social development of children
Women’s mortality during pregnancy and childbirth is between 250000 – 280000 in a year, with the majority of deaths occurring immediately or after the child is born. Child mortality is estimated at 6.55 million, especially among children under five years of age, wherein 43% of deaths occur within the first 28 days and a significant percentage of deaths happen within the first 24 hours of birth. Maternal, newborn and child health is a critical issue in lower and middle-income African and South Asian countries. Maternal healthcare and nutrition are essential for improving the infant’s survival rate
Do you know that the beliefs and customs of people impede the healthcare rights of women and children in several countries? WHO states nearly 810 mortalities in women occur in a day during maternity and childbirth due to preventable causes. A favorable environment to nurture excellent health and well-being for women and children is essential to build healthy communities. Excessive blood loss, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, obstructed labor and indirect causes like anemia, malaria, and heart disease are the most typical causes of maternal injury and mortality.
Pregnancy and childbirth offer a unique experience; it’s crucial to address health inequities, sexual and reproductive rights and gender issues to ensure women have access to respectful and exceptional maternity care.
Pursuing a three-month certificate in maternal child health online program with Texila CPD enables you to gain knowledge in enhancing the developmental, mental, behavioral and social health of women and children to strengthen communities and minimize unnecessary healthcare costs. It also focuses on how governments and communities can improve the accessibility of healthcare resources for women and children during pregnancy and childbirth.
What you get to learn in the certificate in maternal child health program?
It provides exposure to the various socioeconomic, demographic, environmental and educational factors affecting women and children. Analyze and learn about different communities and how to serve them best. The program includes:
· Exposure to the current scenario of women, children and infant well-being
· History of public health and global maternal and child health
· Family planning and violence in couples
· Devise action plans and implement measures for health promotion and disease prevention
· Assessing the needs and statistical analysis
Opportunities in MCH:
Research: Professionals can explore research opportunities in government agencies, research centers or academic institutes. Study and analyze several health conditions affecting women and children, develop solutions and create awareness to contain them. MCH epidemiologist role involves working in health departments to understand the diseases, mental health concerns and other conditions, identify patterns and develop programs to manage the healthcare needs of women and children. Researchers experiment with treatments and procedures to improve well-being.
Policy Development: MCH professionals interested in pursuing a career in policy analysis and development can explore opportunities in government agencies, nonprofit organizations, community groups, etc. The role involves reviewing existing policies concerning women and children, evaluating their impact, identifying potential health concerns and devising solutions to prevent them. Formulate new policies to promote and improve health standards. You can also choose to specialize in specific domains of public health policy like reproductive health improving healthcare accessibility and educating communities on family planning strategies. Collaborate with researchers to collect and analyze health data to design efficient public health policies. Also, collaborate with governments to ensure healthcare equity for whole populations.
Clinical services: MCH professionals can pursue opportunities in the medical field, which comprises medical professionals, medical establishments and allied healthcare professionals who address the medical needs of women and children. Career pathways in medicine require education, skills and additional training in the specific domain to provide the necessary support. Also, find opportunities in non-clinical areas like administration, marketing, program management, etc.
Social work: Nonprofit organizations provide immense opportunities for MCH professionals with an interest in working for social causes. They promote reproductive rights, improve accessibility to medical resources and provide essential support to vulnerable women and children. You can choose to any one of the following career pathways:
· A career in research or policy development and implementing health programs at the community or global level
· Work directly with women and children and help them sustain good health by meeting their healthcare needs.
· Work in management roles in healthcare organizations
· Or work in marketing/communications building campaigns, designing social media creatives/content to promote the social cause and attract funds/volunteers
Texila-CPD offers the best certificate course in maternal child health online with a comprehensive curriculum. The three-month program opens you to several public health opportunities in hospitals, public health clinics, community birthing centers, etc.
The course curriculum includes:
· The welfare of women and children and factors impacting their well-being in the global context
· Child health issues and adolescent sexuality
· Innovative community-based approaches and MCH status in Africa
· Health Promotion in MCH
Career opportunities after a certificate in maternal child health:
1) Health educators educate and create awareness in women and children on issues affecting their well-being and best practices in sustaining good health. They assess the healthcare needs of people in their community and develop programs to create awareness and help them get to know about the medical resources accessible to them. They can find job opportunities in government agencies, healthcare establishments and nonprofits. The average salary of the healthcare educator is USD 34,178 pa, as per indeed.com.
2) Counselors are health professionals who interact and connect with people to understand their challenges and address and help them tackle those challenges. They can specialize in a particular domain to address mental health, behavioral health or substance abuse issues with women and children. They interact with families to assess their requirements, set objectives, build action plans, monitor and evaluate their progress. To excel in this job role, professionals require certifications and training in counseling. As per indeed.com, the average salary for the counselor is USD 42,152 pa.
3) Community health workers assist in linking communities with healthcare service providers. They collect health data and requirements of women and children and develop outreach programs to address them. They provide basic health support and educate communities on how to gain access to medical resources. They collaborate with government and medical establishments and advocate for the rights of vulnerable women and children in the communities and work to improve their well-being. The average salary of a community health worker is USD 38,802 pa (indeed.com).
4) Dietitians work with people to treat nutritional problems like deficiencies/allergies and educate and create awareness on healthy eating habits. This role requires additional certification in nutrition. Dietitians evaluate individuals’ health and diet and develop nutritional plans based on their individual needs, monitor clients’ progress and make necessary changes to the diet plans as required. They also conduct seminars/workshops to educate and create awareness in communities on nutritional needs to sustain good health. The average salary of a dietitian is USD 54,985 pa (indeed.com).
5) Epidemiologists study disease patterns, their causes, source and outbreaks. MCH epidemiologists focus on issues concerning women and children, gather health data, study and analyze, and conduct clinical trials to devise treatment strategies for containing the spread of diseases. They summarize their findings and share their reports with the public, healthcare and government professionals who take necessary measures to improve public health. The average salary of epidemiologists is USD 73,327 pa (indeed.com).
Key Takeaways:
Effective preventive measures and early treatment of women are crucial to prevent maternal and neonatal deaths. Pursuing a certificate in maternal child health program enables you to understand the various elements affecting the welfare of women and children, assess and analyze their needs and formulate effective action plans to promote well-being and prevent diseases.