Introduction: Current Data
Despite the significant decrease in infant and maternal mortality rates, this problem remains important. Since 2000, the infant mortality rate has halved, and the maternal mortality rate has decreased by a third, largely thanks to affordable, quality health care (Ramakrishnan et al., 2021). Nevertheless, globally, 2.8 million pregnant women and infants die yearly (Ramakrishnan et al., 2021). In 2018, 6.2 million children did not live until age 15. 5.3 million died in the first five years of life and half in the first 12 months after birth (Avais et al., 2023).
Women in sub-Saharan Africa are 50 times more likely to die during childbirth and pregnancy than in rich regions (Ramakrishnan et al., 2021). The statistics for infant mortality are similar. According to the report, one in 13 children in sub-Saharan Africa died before age five in 2018, compared to one in 196 in Europe (Ramakrishnan et al., 2021). UNICEF experts are also concerned about South Asia’s high maternal and infant mortality rates (Torlesse & Le, 2020). The main reasons for such tragic statistics are primarily poverty and inequality.
WHO and UNICEF called on all countries to intensify measures to save women’s and children’s lives. In 2015, leaders of all nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, in one of which they pledged to reduce the global maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100,000 by 2050 and to end the needless deaths of newborns and children under the age of 5 (Torlesse & Le, 2020). At the same time, all countries should strive to reduce neonatal mortality to 12 deaths per 1,000 births and under-5 mortality to 25 deaths (Torlesse & Le, 2020). Today, WHO and UNICEF stress that meeting these targets in all countries without exception will require many resources.
The Preventive Services
The medical and social significance of the maternal and child welfare system is determined primarily by preserving and improving women’s health, reducing maternal and infant mortality, and raising a healthy, harmoniously developed generation. The importance of the maternal and child health care system is increasing, given the negative changes in the demographic situation, increased morbidity among women and children, high mortality, and low birth rates (Ţarcă et al., 2021). The effectiveness of the maternal and child welfare system depends on solving several tasks, which include:
- Social protection of the family, mother, and child, targeted provision of social assistance;
- Priority allocation of necessary resources for the development of treatment, prevention, and recuperation facilities;
- Introduction of medical insurance and reorganization of the current system of therapeutic and preventive care for women and children;
- Antenatal protection of the fetus, with the participation of the relevant medical and sanitary institutions;
- Introduction of modern, effective medical technologies into the system;
- formation of a healthy lifestyle.
It is possible to implement these measures only with the help of a strong social policy of the state. Implementing numerous state, public, and medico-social measures should occur based on the envisaged relevant legislative acts and should be carried out at the international, state, sectoral, and regional levels. A preventive service can be the provision of medical benefits. Mother and child benefits can be considered a continuum of care that provides essential information, family planning advice, and services throughout the reproductive period (Amour et al., 2021). This will help children with suspected pneumonia be brought to the appropriate healthcare provider to detect the disease in advance and get the proper treatment. It will also be necessary for children under 5 with symptoms of ARI who receive antibiotics. This will help with access to quality medications and monitoring by doctors.
While many health plans in the U.S. represent maternity insurance, there are several reasons why some women find it challenging to obtain high-quality, affordable care. For example, some organizations that provide such services require up-front payments for services related to maternity care (Amour et al., 2021). However, insurance companies mostly make payments after delivery. Other difficulties in accessing proper observation are high fees that are taxing, inconvenient hours, lack of insurance for dependents, and inconvenient health center locations (Amour et al., 2021). Employers cannot eliminate all of these barriers. However, removing barriers such as pre-payment and high taxable fees and helping workers find organizations that provide observation services to pregnant women is possible.
Texas Instruments (TI) aims to make pregnancy monitoring affordable regardless of employee income. Women who wish to be monitored during pregnancy in-house pay only 10% of the agreed-upon fee. This amount covers prenatal care, uncomplicated deliveries, and C-sections (Durán Valverde et al., 2020). Haggar Apparel pre-pays 100% of the cost of prenatal care if an employee or dependent seeks services in the first three months of pregnancy (Durán Valverde et al., 2020). Home Depot (a retailer of building materials and similar products) also pays the hospital bill if the pregnant woman starts seeing a doctor in the first three months of her pregnancy.
While many plans provide appropriate care for a newborn baby’s first few days of life 2, a kid has little or no insurance coverage once he or she leaves the hospital. At First National Bank of Chicago, pregnant women who participate in a loss compensation plan and complete a pregnancy education program by the end of the fourth month of pregnancy are exempt from paying $400 of newborn insurance (Cygan et al., 2020). Monfort, a beef packing plant in Greeley, Colorado, pays in full for child care until the child reaches age three.
In addition to adopting health maintenance programs and other services prioritizing maternal health before and throughout pregnancy, many companies now offer programs that help parents and children after pregnancy ends, during the first important twelve months, and beyond. Maternity disability benefits, breastfeeding programs, reimbursement for dependent care expenditures, parenting workshops, and on-site child care are only a few of the present uses and services (Durán Valverde et al., 2020). Lancaster Laboratories (Pennsylvania), a contract laboratory research and consulting firm for the food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sectors, continues to provide health insurance coverage to preserve excellent ties with its employees. This covers prenatal disability time and offers unpaid leave regardless of whether the lady intends to return to work after giving birth.
The Socioeconomic Determinants
Social security schemes may be contribution-based or have a different funding nature. Maternity protection is among the ten social security areas, including medical care and income replacement throughout maternity leave. In recognition of the wide variations in the world’s accessibility to social protection, the concept of a “Social Protection Floor” (SPF) has been developed (Durán Valverde et al., 2020). The SPF consists of a basic set of necessary guarantees, both in monetary and non-monetary terms, which are intended to help the poor and vulnerable groups and ensure them a minimum guaranteed income.
These guarantees establish minimum levels of protection to which all members of society are entitled, if necessary. Although social protection is important for the social, economic, and physical well-being of each individual throughout his or her life cycle, social protection remains out of reach for much of the world’s population (Durán Valverde et al., 2020). As with other social security plans, some socioeconomic groups are more likely to be denied cash benefits and maternity-related health care. These include people with disabilities and chronic illnesses and people living with HIV/AIDS, who are much more likely to be excluded from formal employment.
In general, women face exclusion from social protection more often than men due to discrimination that follows them throughout the life cycle and the pervasive gender inequality in the distribution of family responsibilities, including caregiving (Durán Valverde et al., 2020). This mainly affects women’s access to social protection throughout their reproductive years of working life. Social assistance to cover the costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing is essential during this time.
Barriers and Gaps
Angola and Burkina Faso are African countries, indicating their development is far from desirable. In these countries, it will take much work to achieve the desired level of maternity benefits and to reduce maternal and child mortality (Azevedo et al., 2019). States have to develop their economies and work to improve living standards to achieve this goal. Albania, in turn, has more potential for improvement.
However, a recent problem that could affect the country’s development is that young people are rapidly leaving the region (Azevedo et al., 2019). This may have an impact on the labor force and, consequently, on the economy of the country. In order to solve this problem and increase the chances of solving the issue of maternal and child mortality, the country needs to create conditions for young people (Azevedo et al., 2019). This can be an increase in educational institutions and the creation of jobs.
Conclusion
In Angola and Burkina Faso, maternity benefits can majorly affect the health and well-being of women and their families. Maternity perks, such as paid leave and access to health care, can help Angola, Burkina Faso, and Albania achieve better maternal health results. These advantages can help women receive sufficient prenatal and postnatal treatment, lowering the risk of problems during delivery.
Maternity benefits provide access to essential health services such as emergency obstetric care and can help decrease maternal mortality in Angola and Burkina Faso. Maternity benefits can help save mothers’ and children’s lives by lowering the chance of complications during delivery. Maternity benefits, such as paid leave and child assistance, can help lessen the financial strain on Angolan and Burkinabe families. It can assist in ensuring that women and their children have access to sufficient nourishment and health care, thereby improving their health. Maternity benefits can also assist children’s health by giving moms access to health services such as vaccinations and other protective treatments. This can decrease the chance of childhood diseases while also improving child development results.
Maternity leave and childcare aid are two benefits that can help mothers and their children get enough nourishment. An improved diet can help to avoid malnutrition and mortality from preventable illnesses. For example, access to education and job training can help mothers and their children learn about healthy practices and habits. This can include knowledge about healthy eating, hygiene, and sexual safety, which can help lower the chance of death from preventable illnesses.
References
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