Mama Baby Fund’s Year 2023 in Review

As Mama Baby Fund looks back on the year 2023, it proudly celebrates a series of impactful achievements in maternal and neonatal care. With a steadfast commitment to improving healthcare accessibility and promoting safe childbirth experiences, MBF has made significant strides in supporting women and newborns in need.

  • Throughout the year, MBF successfully handled 144 NICU cases, allocating Rs. 2,926,292 to ensure that newborns received crucial care during their earliest days.
  • Additionally, the fund covered 1539 labs and tests, amounting to Rs. 4,065,431, ensuring comprehensive health assessments for both mothers and infants.
  • The support extended by Mama Baby Fund also facilitated 517 deliveries, totaling Rs. 8,074,482 in expenses. By covering these costs, MBF promoted safe childbirth experiences and contributed to maternal health outcomes.
  • Moreover, MBF allocated Rs. 2,721,583 towards medicine expenses, guaranteeing timely access to essential medications for women and newborns in need.
  • In addition to medical support, Mama Baby Fund distributed 1200 care packages, valued at Rs. 2,788,722. Tailored to diverse needs, these care packages provided comfort and essential supplies to women and newborns, enhancing their overall quality of life.
  • Recognizing the importance of healthcare infrastructure, MBF also provided valuable medicine supplies worth Rs. 1,723,975 to the Baba Island Clinic. This initiative significantly improved healthcare accessibility for residents of the community.
  • Throughout the year, MBF’s Baba Island Clinic remained a beacon of support, consistently serving an average of 300 patients monthly.

Mama Baby Fund expresses gratitude for the collective efforts that made these accomplishments possible. Together, we have made significant strides in promoting maternal and neonatal health, and we look forward to continuing our mission in the years to come.

I am the proud founder of Mama Baby Fund, initially established as a small friends and family welfare fund back in 2015. At the time, I was working as a midwife in a maternity hospital in Karachi, where I witnessed countless families grappling with financial barriers that prevented them from accessing the quality maternal and neonatal healthcare they deserved. I began by assisting a few families with their modest financial needs, such as covering the costs of tests for babies in the ICU or providing clothes for those who lacked them during childbirth. The range of assistance we offered was diverse, ranging from something as basic as providing nourishing meals for pregnant women who couldn’t afford them, to something as critical as procuring life-saving blood transfusions for women on the brink of post-delivery haemorrhage. Despite my years of experience in the health ecosystem of Pakistan, I was astonished by how poverty played such a significant role in the maternal health crisis. Witnessing the tragic number of women and babies losing their lives due to their inability to afford healthcare compelled me to take immediate action.

 What began as a modest fund addressing financial gaps for women at a single hospital has now evolved into a thriving initiative that has impacted over 15,000 families across multiple facilities throughout the country. This progress has been made possible by our dedicated team and the unwavering support of our donors, who have stood by us for nearly a decade. 

In our relentless pursuit of promoting equity in access to maternal and neonatal healthcare, we have expanded our reach to address climate emergencies and support communities affected by the climate crisis. This includes providing health services and essential birthing supplies to communities devastated by floods and natural disasters. Moreover, we have established a comprehensive maternal and neonatal health program for climate-affected fisherfolk communities along the coasts and islands of Karachi. Through our midwife-run clinic at Baba Island, referral program in Karachi, and the first boat ambulance in the area, we are actively serving these communities.

Mama Baby Fund is a small organization with an enormous impact, revolutionizing maternal health outcomes for families and entire communities. We are immensely grateful for the trust and support we receive from our communities and donors. We encourage you to join us in raising awareness about the state of maternal health and advocating for the necessary measures to ensure that respectful and quality healthcare becomes an inalienable right for all mothers and babies in Pakistan. Together, we can make a lasting difference.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment and support.

Neha Mankani