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What is a CARMMA or CSB 1 or CSB2 in Madagascar?

CARMMA in Madagascar - ZahanaCSB stands for Centres Santé de Bases or Basic Health Centers. Over 2600 CSBs in Madagascar are classified level 1 or 2 according to the size of population they serve. People walk to their CSB for basic services, vaccinations and pre-natal screenings. If they cannot be helped there, they are sent to the next hospital, often hours or days away. The CSB1 are staffed by a trained paramedic or nurse. A CSB2, often located in bigger villages or regional centers and staffed by a medical do. tor, and have beds and rooms for patients.

CARMMA stands for Center on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa. CARMMA provide an additional, extra layer of care to reduce maternal mortality. Or, in plain English: do everything humanly possible so less mothers and children die during pregnancy and/or birth. In addition to the usual CSB health services CARMMA have specially trained people and equipment to focus on maternal and infant health. They offer regular pre-and post partum screenings and consultations, nutrition, and infant health check ups, combined with data collection to measure the impact, supported by trained community heath workers. A safe and sanitary space to give birth and drugs to stop postpartum bleeding or infections are part of this CARMMA package.  In a place where there is no ambulance to whisk you off the next hospital a CARMMA having these drugs at hand is literally a question of life and death.

In contrast to the Africa wide ‘Campaign’ that stands for the C in the acronym, in Madagascar C stands for actual brick and mortar Centers that provide services (or implement the goals a campaign aims to promote). There are currently 24 CARMMA in Madagascar offering services all year.

Only 24 CSB are currently designated as CARMMA, with special focus on maternal and newborn health trained midwifes. Our health center in Fiadanana is a CARMMA, with dedicated rooms for mothers and newborns, and (as we proudly point out) the only CSB in the area with running clean and safe drinking water.

CARMMA MAdagascar

CARMMA in Fidanana Pharmacy zahana

CARMMA's pharmacy in Madagascar

CARMMA in Madagascar